


That Distant Life

by RavensChrome



Series: Scattered Away [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, M/M, Not A Fix-It, Not Romance, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Second Shinobi War, Reincarnated OMC, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-06 00:57:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 42,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20498243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavensChrome/pseuds/RavensChrome
Summary: Life was strange and having another life to sort through was even stranger. Other people's memories meant absolutely nothing but they still teach the inexperienced, to help them go through life easier. That didn't help Torito Yuu deal with a life he barely remembers though, it mostly gave him dizzy spells and a companion that was much of an asshole as he was.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an old story of mine that's completed on Fanfiction under the same username. The AO3 version is the revamped version. Posting this so late to AO3 because I just now made an account despite enjoying all the stories on this site for years now.
> 
> This is actually my first fanfic and I'm very proud of it. I hope to post multiple chapters every week as I'm rereading and re-editting this as I go. But if any of you readers are impatient, as I stated earlier, it's on Fanfiction with the same title and same author name. Be warned though, it's unbeta'd as hell but I have gotten better as the story progresses with only onesies and twosies. I have no defence on the bad grammar/spelling other than that I blame the fact I did it on notepad at the time.
> 
> And before anybody does ask, no I don't want a beta.

It was odd waking up in an orphanage. The ceiling was an old wooden structure along with the rest of the building while the light filtered from the window as the sunrise was barely starting across the rooftops.

It was even odder waking up to the odd pleasant buzzing sensation of _I don't know where I am _or_ who I was._ It was almost europhic if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't know what's going on, but I didn't feel scared though, so I should be okay then.

The buzzing sensation didn't go away leaving me in a pleasant haze while sitting up in the bed I was in, I took in the surrounds of the plain bedroom that held two beds that included the one I was in. The books on the other bed were written in a foreign language but I could easily filter them into _Basics of Chakra _and _History of the Hidden Leaf Village._

I immediately got up and left with the feeling of, the ever constant, foreign disinterest after seeing them.

A frown settled at the sudden action I took seeing I was interested but my body went to autopilot leading me down some old wooden stairs. I didn't really mind seeing I was curious in where I am.

"Ah! Yuu-chan! Good morning!" A cheery blonde greeted me. "I'm surprised that you woke up so early! Did you wake up so early to see your big brother off on his first day so you can have me all to yourself?"

I tensed when he hugged me and the words of _'__Who the fuck are you?' _were at the tip of my tongue. "Get off." I said harshly instead and I was more surprised at the language I was speaking and hearing fluidly.

And just then I had flashes of this Minato race across my mind.

"How cruel! But don't worry, nii-san won't tell that you did this for me!"

"I didn't even know that you were leaving in the first place." I retorted back.

_I didn't even know who you were._

Minato just pouted. "You're so mean! What kind of a four year old won't miss their nii-chan?"

_Four year old? _

"I am, just because we live in the same room doesn't mean I'll miss you."

"So cold, Yuu-chan! H-hey, where are you going?"

I walked out of the room following the muscles in my legs. "Out."

"E-eh? But the matron will scold you for going out again!"

A flash of a middle-aged woman flashed in my mind. "Don't care."

Going outside didn't help my confusion. This village was beautiful but it was so foreign despite my memories showing and telling me. Even then I see the illusion of cold, towering, stone buildings in the place of the wooden ones.

It was like I was in a dream, that hazy fog in my mind hadn't lifted yet and suddenly everything was fake and wrong. The air was too clean, I felt weak compared to whatever I was before, and I felt healthy to where those itches that lingered in my mind were mere phantoms.

And my name wasn't Torito Yuu, or I don't think it is seeing that I can't remember what my real name could've been, and I was definitely not four years old. I had a coherent thought process and I'm pretty sure four year olds didn't know the basics of math, reading, writing, let alone even comprehend words meaningfully at their age.

But staring down into my reflection into this canal I found was proving me otherwise.

I was tiny, my eyes were big from being a kid and _who the fuck dyes a kid's hair indigo? _Not that I don't mind the colour but it was strange and I'm pretty sure having Indigo eyes were strange too.

_I was an artist, everybody always commented how amazed they were on how I can name and see colours easily._

_"Paint another flower, ---!"_

_"Making money in both day and night jobs, I'm kind of jealous."_

Memories flashed, but they held little meaning to me, those memories are hazy at best but I know that they were important seeing that Yuu and whoever I was before were different people. I know that because Yuu's not an artist, he's not familiar with the academic knowledge that even the matron probably wasn't familiar with, and he definitely knows that he's not twenty-eight years old with a bird that was too smart to be normal.

Yuu wasn't _\---._

I wasn't _\--- _anymore.

I frowned at the blank spaces in my mind trying to search out the name I used before. Trying to figure out who I was.

"Yuu!"

I snapped out of my thoughts hearing the familiar but not so familiar blonde. "What?"

"Still so mean!" Minato pouted. "C'mon! Let's eat!" The older boy pulled a little box containing food in it. "I know you don't like to be around the other kids so I brought breakfast to us! The matron was upset you went out again but just told me to make sure you eat."

_"I know people are shit, but eat dammit!"_

I looked down to the presented food and memories of faceless people doing the same appeared because I couldn't be bothered to cook with being so engrossed in my work. The action brought back the pleasant buzz within me.

"Thanks."

And that elicited a bigger grin from the ever smiling Minato. "It's no problem! And I like eating out here with you anyways."

"Why? There're other kids here that'll be happier to talk to you than me." I took a bite of some of the rice.

Minato swallowed. "Didn't I tell you before? You're fun to talk to and your different!"

"I'm four years old." I deadpanned. "What kind of a six year old likes to hang out with a four year old?"

"What kind of four year old can out talk an adult?" Minato snarked back. "I've seen you out talk a ninja too!"

_Ninja?_

"When was this?" My hands twitched just from the thought of the word.

"And of course you don't remember." Minato sighed. "Please don't do anything dangerous when I'm gone to the Academy."

"I should be say that to you, you'll be three years younger than everybody else if I remember correctly." _Do I really?_

"You do care!" And I tensed again feeling him hug me tightly. "Don't worry, my little kohai! I'll be fine! There're other kids that are going at my age, and once you enter the Academy as well I'll be guiding you every step of the way!"

I pushed him off. "And why would I go to a place where they encourage kids to stab each other?"

_Wait, what?!_

The words left me easily, but the feeling of disbelief welled up. My expression probably only went unnoticed seeing I was talking to a six year old. A six year old, cheery blonde at that too.

"But- but! You have to go! Even that ninja you snarked at said you'd be wasting your potential in the civilian world!" Minato flailed. "And I fear for the civilians too."

Another memory of a lazy looking, sleepy ninja that oozed bristling danger in the surrounding shadows came to the forefront of my mind. That conversation was vague to me but it does shed light to Minato's words.

I need time to think for myself.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

It wasn't hard to be alone, certainly wasn't hard in getting out of the depressing place that is the orphanage after Minato left the premises.

I wandered the village leisurely, not too worried about these memories that were fading in and out constantly. It took too much effort when it really changes nothing in the end, especially when I don't even fully remember them.

I'll let them come and process them when they do, it was the only thing I could do for now.

I was Torito Yuu right now and that's what I was to everyone else, the other person seems to be gone anyways.

"Ah, Torito-kun?"

I looked up to a petite, aging woman, she was like the other citizens of Konoha with brown hair and eyes. "Yes?"

"That kind shinobi over there said this was a treat for being nice to him." She said with a smile handing me a box. "Such a good boy!"

I looked over from the dirt street to where she was pointing seeing the sleepy ninja again inside a store with others like him. "Can I come in?" I looked up.

"Of course! It's not everyday I get to meet such a polite boy!" She led me inside the little tea shop and towards the secluded lounging, dangerous ninja. "Now be good!" And she promptly left.

I swiftly dropped the box onto their table once she was out of ear shot. "I don't want it."

"Wow, isn't he blunt." A platinum blonde chuckled.

The lazy ninja just sighed. "You didn't even open it, it's full of cookies and other sweets."

"I don't like sweets." Or at least I don't think so, the feeling of disgust just cemented my thought though. "And this is a poor bribe."

The same blonde snorted. "I see why you want to recruit this brat specifically, you have my vote."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"The Academy, you little brat." The lazy ninja said. "You know, the one your big brother Minato probably went to today? I want you to go next year."

"Why? What benefit do you get for me learning how to stab other children?" I asked and a younger but white-haired, dog smelling ninja across from them snickered.

"Isn't he a serious one? Don't worry, little birdy, you'll be learning how to read, write, and some math and history. If you fail out, it'll count towards a civilian life."

"I already know how to do that." I said uncaringly.

The platinum blonde spoke again. "How about learning how to make illusions? Or spit fire or water? Climbing trees and sticking to them like you have glue on your feet?"

I blinked. "What?" _Impossible._

Now the shadows around the lazy ninja shifted, almost as if it was excited making me wary. "Oh, I didn't mentioned any of those when I was explaining the Academy, did I?"

I was annoyed at his not so hidden, smug tone. "No, I guess it's your fault for assuming everybody knew what ninjas did just because this is a ninja village. But I'll say sorry anyways for being an ignorant, four year old."

"I like him!" The blonde stated with a broad grin. "So fiesty! You definitely have to join our ranks. Please? My son is just two years older but he'll definitely help you!"

I took a step back when his face go close and started leaving. "No."

"H-hey!"

I still need time to figure out what's going on to choose something like that. I won't lie and say that being a ninja doesn't interest me but I'm not saying that to that lazy, smug prick.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Well, he's different."

"He's troublesome."

Yamanaka Inoyaku just grinned. "I like him a lot!"

Nara Shikashi just groaned. "It's like one of my clan members decided to grow a serious attitude when I'm dealing with him."

"Torito Yuu was a child that was abandoned at the orphanage since birth but his heritage is unknown." Inoyaku started to count off. "But shows a level of intelligence that was advancing far faster than the matron can track. He's also bit of a free spirit from how he tends to wander off freely without a care, your report also included that he might have an Yin imbalance too?"

Shikashi just shrugged. "Besides needing to build up his Yang chakra if he ever wants to be a Ninjustu specialist, it's not really a big deal. Just thought to put it there when he does decide to go to the Academy."

"Yuu-chan doesn't seem like the type to work well with others though." Hatake Sakumo inputted.

"The brat gets along with that Minato-brat well enough." The Nara said. "If he can deal with that then he'll be fine."

"Why are you so interested in recruiting the kid anyways?" Inoyaku complained. "It seems too much work for even you."

Shikashi just sighed again. "It's not like I want to do it but you all know that this armistice treaty is not going to last and the Hokage knows that. I got stuck on sniffing out little truffles that'll survive the next generation of war."

His friends grimaced and nodded. "The Niidaime doesn't have hope for the future, huh?"

"I think we all can see another war coming, I'm just ensuring that the kids I pick will live passed it than just be cannon fodder."

"I think we should take this to the bar next door." Sakumo suggested and they all left the empty tea shop.

"Here, here." Inoyaku cheered but it was muted. "Let's talk about something else too."

  
  


_-Line Break-_

It was interesting learning about chakra and its uses. Hearing the tree climbing thing from the platinum blonde definitely caught my ear and I wanted to have a go at it.

Minato was especially was helpful in demonstrating how his chakra was preventing a leaf from falling off his body. Showing off to the kids entertained them for a long while.

_It was like magic!_

I even felt his hand when he was doing the exercise and it was an odd sensation of watery air that flowed, buzzed, tingled, and gave off a heat that felt cool. I wanted to do something like that and I wasn't waiting until the Academy that was going at a painful pace.

I only know that because I always see Minato studying different things every week while the book mark in his textbook was still in the same place.

So I cracked open Minato's books and learned and practiced.

The practicing bit was frustrating and painful.

Trying to recreate that sensation I felt with Minato felt wrong with me. It felt like I was trying to push out a rock through a tiny pipe and I ended up dizzying myself horribly.

I can feel it but it was like it has a mind of its own, always breeze through my senses easily but slipping pass my grasp and then it becomes an immovable rock when it does feel trapped in my hold.

I hate the fact that this power that I have was as stubborn as I am.

The past few weeks that I've woken up from that first morning, I've also learned a lot more about myself. Apparently I was as sociable as I was now with how everybody in the orphanage was more than willing to leave me alone. Well, Minato excluded.

The matron would give less of a damn if she didn't have to report about me to the ninjas. Naturally, I do give her a hard time by not caring about it and just go about my day. I didn't feel like being the tail end of whatever plan that people I don't know has cooked up.

And I've been sifting through the memories to try and figure out who I was before Torito Yuu. The constant ghost images that appear as something familiar or similar that are around makes me lost in thought just trying to figure out what it was. Like every time I look at the Hokage's Tower, an even taller tower with thousands of windows replaces it and the word 'Skyscraper' accompanies it.

It's a fucking sky scraper alright but what in the world does anybody need a building that big for? Someone is compensating for something or has way too much time and money.

And another thing that gets me is that every time is when I see that old kunai Minato has, a sleek simple designed, yet a complicated piece of weaponry is sitting in my hands with a loud crack of thunder. _A gun._

Minato was amazed that I could aim a kunai better than him after showing me how, but the lingering taste of metal and smell of gunpowder gave me a blood rush after it leaves my hand. I wanted to purr at the satisfying hit of the bullseye as the blade sunk into the target.

_I was a hunter, not of beast but of guilty man._

_"And another one down! C'mon ---! You're lagging behind!"_

It honestly scared me that I saw that paper target shaped like a human one, _an Ivan, _but it was hard to stay scared when those ninjas in the trees were far more dangerous than a little four year old with an old kunai.

Honestly, I can catch their off coloured clothes and hair from those trees a mile away. Just because I'm not drawing or painting in this life doesn't mean I didn't lose my ability to see colour. I'm not a dog, dammit.

Other than that, chakra control still sucks and my hair was still indigo.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"You want me to what?"

Minato just increased his pathetic look. "Please? It's been so long since you and I had fun together that wasn't training and you'll meet my classmates too!"

"You want me to go to the park with a bunch of snot-nosed brats you met at the Academy." I deadpanned and his grip on my waist just increased.

"Please? They want to meet you too! I talk about you a lot, you know!" Minato grinned at me.

I just frowned. "But why?"

"Why? Because you're my cute little brother!"

"No! Not that! Why do you insist on clinging to me?" I said frustrated. "I don't exactly reciprocate your feelings, you know, in fact, I'm quite fond of pushing you away." I growled.

"Because you're my cute little brother!"

"But I'm not even your real brother! I don't understand how you can be so happy around someone like me!"

Minato finally let go but snuggled himself into a hug. "I like you just the way you are. Yeah, you're a little mean with words but you're really lonely when everybody does leave you alone."

"Just because I'm alone doesn't mean I'm lonely!" I hissed at him. "And let go, dammit!"

"Everything's fine, you know? I don't know what's gotten you so anxious lately but everything's fine. Just keep being yourself."

_"Just keep being yourself, I like you just the way you are."_

_"Ignore the ignorant sheep, everything's fine isn't it? Your snark actually keeps you and us safe from their grubby hands."_

_"You have to be one of the most in-the-closet person I know, fucking tsundere."_

I blushed at the onslaught of emotions coming from the memories and Minato's words. "Y-you, d-don't say stuff like that! You're being stupid for saying embarrassing stuff like that!" I growled out. "A-and let go dammit!"

Minato just gave me a surprised look before giving me his biggest grin yet. "My little brother is just the cutest! I have to show you off to the others! They'll be so jealous of me!"

"Idiot!" I struggled in his arms cursing my lack of physical training. "Let go, dammit!"

"And that's the third time you've said that bad word! Who did you learn it from?!"

"Why are you being so weird?!"

_They were my friends, my best friends. I had so little of them but each one of them were more precious than any other life._

I won't admit that I was little lonely but I guess it wouldn't hurt to meet some of Minato's friends. It's not like I won't be able to bail if it gets too much for me anyways.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuu's still a preschooler, but he's growing up.

I don't like being a normal child, I like my freaky self as the other snot-nosed brats at the orphanage calls me. At least I was clean and not eating dirt, how is this fun? How does Minato sees this as fun?

The game they're playing was unfortunately called _Ninja_ but it's just a glorified game of Hide-and-Seek with a mixture of Freeze Tag in it. They ran around trying to tag each other and 'drop dead' when they do get tagged until a 'medic' revives them. I could spot each and everyone of these brats in their hiding places and they can never find me which I'll keep at.

No matter the person, nobody really ever thinks to look up.

_To soar and hunt in the night, my job always had the best views._

_"Look ---! Isn't it pretty?"_

I shook off the hazy memory and continued to lie against the nice sturdy tree. I could sleep here really, I've slept in worst and it's not cold out yet.

"Hey, brat."

I yelped clawing at the tree to keep myself steady. "What do you want, lazy stalker?!" I growled at the man quietly, can't give away my position.

"The other brats wanted me to find you so that you guys can play the next round." The lazy stalker replied back.

"Well, tell them I don't want to play, and go find a better hobby, lazy stalker." I turned my back to him before leaving the branch for a higher one.

"I have a name, you know."

"And it's quite rude that you haven't introduced yourself yet." I replied easily. "Creepier that you went out of your way to find out mine without asking me."

"Snarky brat." I felt the collar of my shirt being pulled along with the swirl of chakra bursting before a jerk of movement and my feet touch the surface of the ground with my head spinning. "The name's Nara Shikashi, my son is Shikaku over there, your senior."

"I don't care." I shook off the remaining nausea. "And what makes you think I'm still going to the Academy?"

"You're practicing you chakra control and aiming, how is that not you preparing for the Academy?" Shikashi shrugged.

"And I can easily not go just to spite you." I said back with a promising tone. "And I can very well do it too if this is the people I have to deal with every day." I pointed at the screaming children trying to catch each other.

The taller man just looked at me. "Why are you being so difficult?"

"Why are you a lazy stalker trying to make me follow you with poor bribes? You're more suspicious than the creepy masked ninjas that don't know that white stands out in the shadows! At least they know when they're caught!" I growled at him.

His eyes just widened at me. "You can sense the Anbu?"

"I'm not a dog, lazy stalker." I bristled. "I have eyes, something you should use more often."

"Yuu-chan!"

I twirled on my feet to face Minato. "I'm leaving."

The cheery blonde faltered in his run. "B-but why? You've only played one game and Shikaku and Inoichi just got here!"

"I don't care! This lazy stalker won't leave me alone and I for one refuse to breath the same air as him any longer." I started to stalk off before any voice interrupted.

"Lazy stalker?" The same but younger drawl erupted by the deer herder. "You've certainly been busy dad."

I glanced at a kid that definitely got his genes from his father. I scrunched up my face and told myself I would definitely not go to the Academy if I had to deal with a clone of the lazy stalker.

I jerked backwards feeling my arms being tugged harshly. "Yuu-chan is adorable! It's no wonder you can't stop talking about him!"

"Don't call me adorable!" I slapped away the offender's arm. "And don't touch me, stupid mini-platinum!"

"Mini-platinum?" The pupilless eyes stared at me with curiosity.

"You look like the platinum blonde that the lazy stalker over there was with a few weeks ago." I smoothed out my shirt. "I'm leav- ack!"

"This is Shikaku and Inoichi I was talking about!" Minato said forcefully with an arm over my shoulders. "And this is Torito Yuu, my cute little brother!"

_"I love you, but you need to meet new people."_

_"See? I told you, you like them, stop being stubborn and make nice."_

I shook my head away from the memories. "I've met them, now I'm leaving."

"But you haven't met the others either!" Minato stressed at me trying to give me the silent message to stay.

And he was giving me a set of puppy dog eyes. The threatening kind that makes me want to snarl but the tight grip he had on me and the imaginary sparkles made me hold it in.

"I still don't understand why you're doing this." I grumbled making the cheery blonde happy and relaxed again.

I've met quite a few people that I'll probably forget, Minato was too excited to care that I was grumpy or was scaring his more civilian half of ninja friends. I didn't care, if they're afraid of a four year old then I can't bother myself with them. _Sheep._

Escaping Minato's eyes wasn't easy but I was better at sneaking away, I have better eyes and was smaller so it's easy for me to scout out and slip away without obstruction. I didn't really care at being caught as long I was away from the commotion.

Perching myself back up on a tree to keep out of sight, I didn't know why I continue to stick around. It's not like I was going to befriend anyone here anytime soon, even with the kids that were my age. I don't know what Minato was thinking that I would want to socialize with slobbery children.

I just picked at the leaves and played with my chakra, I let the leaf just swirl languidly in my hand trying to let momentum push it faster with my nudges. I figured that since my chakra was as stubborn as me, I would just let it flow as much as it wants. It was always flowing continuously to where it hated being interrupted which I can understand.

Art wasn't something you can just stop doing and pick up on the next day, you have to keep going or else you might as well scrape the entire thing and start over. My chakra has a rhythm it dances to and it's more than happy to dance to any song I provide.

_I've never been one to force others seeing I hate it when others force me, just let life live and live life or stay the fuck away._

I nodded to myself at the hazy thought agreeing with it. I twirled the leaf in a controlled fashion letting it fly up a little before swirling back into my hand. I watched the leaf move to and fro like a boat on waves before coming to a conclusion.

Chakra control isn't as hard as I made it out to be.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Where's Yuu-chan?"

Minato groaned loudly. "He's gone again?"

"Let the kid do what he wants." Shikaku waved them off from the ground. "He didn't seem happy being with us."

"He doesn't like people at all." Minato sighed. "I'm trying to get him to socialize more before he becomes like that old man across the orphanage. I swear I'll drag him everywhere I go if it means for him a make friends."

Inoichi just scanned across the park. "Well, he's going to do well in the Academy that's for sure."

"Of course!" Minato puffed up. "I taught him how to do the basics, but I'm regretting it a little." He looked around. "He's giving me so much grief right now when he figured out how to tree climb."

Shikaku looked up at him. "He can tree climb?"

The past few weeks has been horrible!" Minato complained. "Ever since he expanded upwards, he's been impossible to find!"

"Hey, Minato-kun." Minato looked up to see Inoichi's dad. "Let me teach you how to sense chakra, it'll make finding Yuu-chan easy."

Minato's eyes shined gratefully.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Couple of months passed after the first visit to the park and somehow Minato gained a radar with my name on it.

_"Do you know how fucking hard it is to track your ass down? Very!"_

I ducked, weaved, twisted, and jumped through the foliage of this forest going up and down this place running away from the cheery blonde trying to lose him off my trail.

"C'mon, Yuu-chan! You have to do better than this if you want to survive- You threw a kunai at me!"

I was already running in a different direction trying to out speed the damn, persistent, cheery blonde that I can't escape from. It's like I have a damn tracking device on me and I can't get rid of it!

_Options, there were endless amounts of options that we can take. When given two choices, there's always a third, when trapped, there's always a way out. Humans can't think of every way to shut each option down, blackmail, taking advantage of anything, or just confusing the fuck out of them are my three favorite options._

I was running in a haze before I blinked back to reality, my blood was singing, my heart was erratic, and this fear was crawling up my spine in a way I was looking forward to it.

And suddenly my senses expanded, the familiar twirl of chakra spread through my limbs and I was faster. Every step I took pushed me farther, every bound flew me higher, and the world was so much easier to move in as I can see all the ways I can manipulate myself to advance through it.

_This is the freedom that we all shared, sacrificed an easy-going life to obtain a pleasure that few would cheat to get. _

I've long lost Minato but I never stopped running.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Chakra control suddenly became a breeze after that day I knocked myself out through pure exhaustion. It singed, danced, and flowed in my body like something finally clicked in place, as if it finally found a missing piece of itself but I can tell there wasn't enough of this piece. It was always disappointed as I was when falling into exhaustion, it can keep going but not without that piece.

So I kept physically working myself seeing that that's the thing that was helping. Minato was especially a great help and I gleefully took our little game of tag across the village and eventually back.

It was disconcerting that I practically have another person in me with the way my chakra acts, it had an active mind but an extremely weak body but I didn't let that bother me seeing every ninja had an active chakra system.

_What doesn't hurt you can only help you, take full advantage of it._

My chakra buzzed as if agreeing to the statement, I can't deny it either seeing these hazy memories were only doing good for me. It also makes me wonder if my chakra was the one giving me these memories.

Do I have to give it a proper name then?

It hummed in appreciation at the thought and suddenly I just realized the severity of my situation.

"Am I going crazy? I have an imaginary friend and I'm going to name it like one of those snot-nosed brats." I shuddered but the feeling of reprimand stopped that train of thought.

_"Better crazy and insane than boring and normal, life's ain't meant to be understood especially in our line of work. I'd be more concerned if you weren't weird after everything we have to do."_

_"If it's nice to you, be nice back. Especially when it keeps you alive, you ungrateful jackass."_

I shook my head from the memories. "Of course my chakra ends up being an asshole. Your name will be Kaito from now on, it's more suitable for you than anything else I can think of so deal with it."

The newly named Kaito hummed in appreciation before going back to doing whatever it was doing. I went back to whatever I was doing.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Another couple of months passed and Shikashi was staring down at the now five year old. The little terror was advancing fast in terms of chakra control after continuously being chased by Minato. His Yang chakra was building up nicely and Minato was getting scary good at sensing chakra.

And the best part is that he didn't have to lift a finger.

He did his job in recruiting the kids but it expected of him to ensure that the kids he picked were exceptional. Inoyaku practically did his job for him in getting the little brats to advance in their chosen careers. He still had to keep an eye on their progress but the hard part was out of the way.

The only problem was the little terror's seemingly refusal to go to the Academy from the pure spite he has with him. The vindictive, little monster hates the idea of conforming to another's demands and he has no doubt he'll make good on his promise and make his life more difficult.

"You know, instead of spying on the kid you could talk to him."

"The kid practically hates me."

Inoyaku just sighed. "The kid will get angrier once he looks our way, the kid also has a set of eyes on him and I don't feel like being glared at by the squirt again."

"Is this really what you guys were doing for the past few months?"

"Choujo!" Inoyaku greeted. "We got a little problem with Shikashi's little recruiting job." He jab towards the kid below.

"Hmm, is that Yuu-chan I'm hearing so much about?" Choujo spied the indigo hair colour. "Chouza and Minato are always commenting on Yuu-chan's spit fire personality, I even meet the kid and he seemed nice enough. He likes eating at the restaurant so he comes by from time to time."

"He likes you?" Inoyaku gaped. "He doesn't like anyone and Minato's only an exception because he's persistent!"

Choujo just scratched his cheek. "It's not that he likes me but likes my cooking. From the taste right down to the presentation, I never had a critic like him."

"That still doesn't change the fact that he actively made nice to someone!" Inoyaku grinned. "Hey, didn't the kid said your sweets from when we met was a poor bribe?"

Shikashi groaned, he didn't like where this was going. "He's going to be suspicious."

"That's why _you _are going to be upfront with him." Inoyaku said. "I don't have to help you, you know."

An annoyed flashed of chakra flared and they all looked down at the kid who was glaring at them. Inoyaku just whistled in amazement.

"Kid still got a great pair of eyes on him." The platinum blonde commented. "Well, this is your best chance to bribe the kid so..."

Shikashi cursed his friends name and swore to get back at him when Inoyaku kicked him off the roof top.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Kaito purred at the food presented, it was particularly carnivorous and I found myself beginning to hunt down rabbits and fish to satisfy it. It was weird having Kaito teach me through memories and I assumed that Kaito was a person once upon a time but it seemed to disagree with that.

_Food is always available, if hunting people was easy then animals are free meals._

I chewed the savoury meat as the thought flowed through my mind, blood thirsty thoughts like that didn't really bother me anymore seeing that Kaito was more than satisfied at the fact that I was eating its preferred nourishment, flavoured or not.

Kaito was a violent, little thing but I benefit more out of this relationship.

"What do you want?" I asked swallowing the food.

"To ensure you go to the Academy."

"It's a good bribe but not enough to shake the fact you're a lazy stalker." I jabbed him.

I couldn't care less about the bristling shadows that responded to his irritation. This man was more like a cat when it comes to life, more likely to sleep it off than to act on it.

"Here." The man just tossed two books over the food and expect it to secure my attendance.

It kind of did.

"_Basics of Genjutsu_ and _Chakra Control for Medics_?" I have an idea of genjustu but chakra control isn't exactly hard for me.

"To be a medic-nin, their chakra control has to be precise to perform operations or else there would be a lot of dead ninjas at the hospital than the field." The man puffed out some smoke from his cigarette. "And might as well get started on being the little monster that you are with how you work. I know I'll regret this but it's not like the Academy won't teach you about genjutsu eventually, I'm just cutting the time it'll take you to discover it."

_I was a Trickster, I saw through and created illusions. It was fun creating chaos and it didn't take much to create mayhem to those that crossed me._

Kaito again purred at the thought of creating havoc and I grinned at the memory of people purposely walking into a wall guided by dim lights on the floor through a thick cloud of smoke.

_"God dammit ---! What the fuck!"_

"Thank you for the bribe, Nara-san, I'll be at the Academy but I'm not sitting through useless lectures when I can be doing something else that's productive." I flipped through the books.

The Nara just snorted. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to?"

Amusement just rang through my body as Kaito eagerly encouraged my reading. Maybe Kaito was too much of a suitable name for it.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed! Review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Academy!

"My baby brother is here!"

I pushed off the idiot and glared at him. "What are you doing here? Your class is at the other side of the building."

Minato just pouted. "But I wanted to see my little kohai before lunch ended and tell you that we should go back together! You ditched me this morning!"

"For good reason!" I snapped at him.

I could already feel eyes coming onto us and I couldn't help but bristle at the attention. Even Kaito was agitated from keeping still for too long and I hated every second of being trapped in a tiny place full of gossiping brats and an uncaring teacher.

Where the hell was the library in this godforsaken place?!

"Oh, you absolutely hate it here." Minato said that a little too happily. "Don't worry, I'll make sure your escape here is impossible." He chirped.

I narrowed my eyes at the challenge. "I'm faster than you."

"I've been training too, you know!" The threatening tone was underline with a cheerful one. "What do you think I was doing when I was gone for the past several months?"

Kaito snarled but I knew when to back off, Minato was hailed as this generation's prodigy for good reason. There's a reason why I run than turn around and punch him. It's painful.

"Find me something to do." I demanded immediately and Minato just shined.

"Don't worry! It'll get better!"

Maybe earning Minato's ire wasn't a good idea, it's not like he hadn't seen this coming anyways. He knows I hate being around people and he knows I'll end up causing more trouble than he can keep up with.

I smiled up at him as best as I could. "I know it will."

Minato shivered and my smile turned a little more devious, Kaito was all for chaos and mayhem.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Kaito and I were laughing as smoke filled the whole Academy, it wasn't hard to put up and illusionary 'Torito Yuu' who had a habit of play with his own chakra. It took a week of stealing smoke grenades from the more richer kids that like to show off their 'ninja kits' but the result was so worth it.

"You are in so much trouble."

I looked over to Minato not hiding my amusement. "You can't prove anything."

"No, but I can ensure you survive if you do get caught in the act." Minato's smiled became strained with a determined glint.

"You didn't give me anything to do." I growled at him. "It's your fault for expecting me to actually sit there and learn things I already know! This place is just regurgitating information at a mind numbing pace when I could actually be useful in a library!"

"We have a school library you know." Minato exasperated.

"And that stingy librarian only lets out one book at a time." I hissed. "And with eight hours to burn straight, I'm burning a book and a half. Half a book I don't have!"

And with Kaito dying of boredom, being in the Academy was unbearable.

"I know." Minato seemed to have the same grievances with the librarian too. "But I keep getting complaints from your teachers of your doodlings than you actually finishing an assignment."

I scoffed. "I'll put in more effort into something that actually requires brain power."

"And I heard from the teachers that you keep using genjutsu in your taijutsu spars."

"What's the point in punching each other out? It's not fun watching the other drop after one hit, so I improvised."

"Which you have me to thank for." Minato just sighed.

I put my hands on my hips. "So it's your fault." Kaito also put up an undignified front in my mind.

Minato sighed before a look of realization struck him. "Does that mean you actually missed our training sessions? I knew you loved me!" He hugged me.

"Y-you idiot!" I blushed at his comment and sudden contact. "L-let go of me or I'll make you my next victim!" I hissed trying to escape.

"Aw, don't worry! Big brother loves you too!"

I felt my face burn hotter. "S-shut up!"

_"I love you big brother! And don't worry, I won't say a thing about you hugging me!"_

_"You're like a bear! Scary on the outside but all cotton in the inside! See even --- agrees with me!"_

_"---? I love you always, don't forget me."_

I suddenly felt sad at the onslaught of memories of a faceless little girl, Kaito cooed helping hold back the tears of the hazy memories calming myself down.

"Yuu-chan? You got quiet all of a sudden."

"Do you think we can train together again?" Why was I shy now? "It doesn't have to be often, just so I know I can beat you down." I said the last part quickly.

But that was enough to sing to Minato's heart. "My little Yuu-chan is so adorable! I knew you're just shy but you don't have to be shy around me!"

I just shook him off. "Whatever."

_I was a big brother, and I wasn't anymore. I lost my little sister to a sickness, something I could never fight off for her._

_I don't want to lose someone like that again. Never again._

Kaito coiled tightly within me leaving a pleasant buzz in an attempt to comfort. It helped in a way seeing there was a detachment between those memories and myself but it was too easy to replace the little girl with Minato.

That actually hurts and I'm the younger sibling this time around.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"You walked off to scold your brother and now you come prancing back as if you got handed the world." Inoichi commented. "What happened?"

"My adorable little brother asked me to train with him!" Minato said happily. "Without me badgering or making him! He was so shy and cute and his face was so red! I'm so happy that he's finally opening up!"

"You have a tsundere as a brother." Shikaku deadpanned.

"I know!" Minato just huffed. "I couldn't believe it took me so long to realize that!"

"And when did you realize?" Inoichi humoured his fellow blonde.

"Almost a year ago!" Minato grieved. "I should've noticed when he was three!"

"Because you knew what a tsundere was when you were that young." Shikaku drawled. "I heard from Ren that the kid has the most distracting chakra in the classroom."

"And that he's been drawing weird doodles and writing in a strange code that even the instructors have been trying to figure out since school started. It's only been a_ week._" Inoichi added.

Minato sighed. "If he had that much energy and dedication as he did brain power for his school work, I'd be even happier."

Chouza just looked amused at the whole conversation. "Bring him over to the restaurant more often, it's nice to have him around."

"'Nice'? That is not a word you associate with the kid." Shikaku snorted.

In fact nice is something far opposite of the spectrum of words one would use to describe the kid. Torito Yuu was like a ball of curiosity with the right amount of energy to go with it. Shikaku would often find the five year old running across trees and rooftops exploring the village, he rarely seen the kid ever walk amoungst the crowds on the ground and that only happens when he's being dragged or going in and out of a building.

It was weird seeing a tiny kid perch himself onto a spot and just stay their to play with his extremely, volatile chakra. Despite being only seven years old, he can tell that Torito's chakra makes the surrounding ninja nervous. It was like he was a ticking bomb with the way he and his chakra acts so blatantly.

But even then nothing is given away, it just left the surrounding ninja confused and wary.

Shikaku knows that the emotions displayed on Torito's face were genuine. He was the type of person that had no reason to lie and saw it as wasted effort to lie himself, but when an emotion that is completely different flares from his chakra leaves him wonder if the kid had another shadow that he wasn't aware of.

And that brought to another weird thing about him.

The kid had the sharpest eyes he's ever seen. Every time he's forced to come to the park and play Ninja, he's able to find everyone without fail. At first Shikaku thought Minato just told him how to sense chakra, but it was genuinely him differentiating _colours _of all things from pure eye sight alone.

It was also strangely refreshing to see a ball of negative energy be used in a positive way though. He got out of class and got to nap, it makes up for him stealing his smoke bombs.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"So you're Torito Yuu?"

I glared up and another platinum blonde was in my vision. "Why do I keep seeing you platinum blondes everywhere I go? And why do you people keep getting smaller?" I snapped at him but he just grinned.

"Oh I like him already." The mini-mini platinum blonde said making me growl.

"And you sound like the other platinum blondes too. Go away."

"Hey Ren, let's adopt him! He's adorable!"

Ren just yawned. "Whatever."

I narrowed my eyes at the mini-mini, lazy stalker, he didn't seemed to have his elders more annoying tendencies. "What do you want?"

"Let's be friends!"

"No." I swiftly packed up and disappeared before the platinum blonde got to protest.

But the persistence didn't stop that day. It even got worse.

"C'mon, Yuu-chan! Let's have lunch together!"

"Yuu-chan, sit with us!"

"Yuu-chan!"

I snarled at him. "Stay away from me, you persistent blonde! I don't even know your name and you're worst than the lazy stalker and the cheery blonde that I call brother!"

"My name's Akio! Let's be friends!"

"No!" I spat out. "You're creepier than the damn white masks that follow me around!" The poor chuunin that was our teacher choked on his coffee after hearing that. “Fuck off!”

"Ren! Tsume! Yuu-chan is being mean to me!" The newly named Akio whined.

"Not my problem." Tsume continued to pet the dog on the desk. "Let the birdy come down from the ceiling before making him mad, will ya? The echo is grating on the ears." And her dog chuffed in agreement.

"Why won't you leave him alone?" Ren sighed shifting his head to its side. "It's not like he wants friends in the first place."

Akio just pouted. "But look at him! He's small and adorable and he's afraid to even get close to people. We have to protect him!"

"Afraid?! And who the hell are you calling cute and small? Aren't you the one that I punched out on our first week?" I snapped at him.

"You do remember me!" I bristled and Kaito was now encouraging me to drop the book I was holding on the persistent blonde's head. "Let's train togeth-!" I dropped the textbook as hard as I could before making my way to the corner of the ceiling that was near the windows.

"Leave me alone!" Kaito was laughing at the success of the attack despite my bristling.

"That was mean!"

"Learn to dodge!"

"Children! Please." Our teacher looked like he's going to have an aneurysm. "Stop agitating Torito-kun, Yamanaka-kun. And don't throw books from the ceiling, Torito-kun, and please come down."

"Not until that persistent blonde is chained, tied, and gagged up here hanging where I know he won't bother me." I hissed.

Akio started to shed crocodile tears. "Yuu-chan is so mean! But don't worry! I heard from Minato-sempai that you're just prickly from being lonely!"

Kaito cheered as a kunai made the persistent blonde yelp. "D-don't be stupid! The cheery blonde is always insisting things that he doesn't even understand and you're an idiot for listening to him!" I tried to stomp down the blush that was forming.

The whole room was silent before Tsume spoke up. "Torito's a tsundere? I'm not surprised."

"That's adorabl- ahh!"

Kaito cheered again when Akio danced away from the second kunai "Shut up, you persistent blonde! This is your fault!" And I threw another for good measure.

"Mou! You're so mean!"

I watched in great pleasure as my giant, conjured, man-eating lizards chased him out of the classroom. Kaito was very happy to suggest dragons if he found himself outside.

_-Line Break-_

I sulked as Kaito purred at the peace offering the persistent blonde was giving me. I was back at the Akimichi's restaurant with the small circle of brats that managed to wrangle me here.

"C'mon, birdy." Tsume presented me with a skewer of pork. "Take advantage of this idiot and eat his wallet out."

"Hey!"

I took the skewer and bit a piece off. "What do you guys want?"

"Don't be like that, Yuu-chan! We just want to be friends!" The persistent blonde claimed. "You're always alone and you don't seemed to be interested in the classes either."

I gave him a wary look. "That doesn't explain why you insist on being a nuisance."

"I want to be friends! Really! Especially after you blew off that Uchiha off the other day!"

"Who?" I did that to a lot of people.

"Exactly!"

"Uchiha Fugaku, the heir to the Uchiha clan." Tsume expanded but I still gave her a look to keep expanding. "The black-haired asshole who expected you to apologize after he bumped into you."

"Oh, the peacock."

Tsume grinned wolfishly. "You and I are definitely going to get along fine. Inuzuka Tsume." She held out her hand and I took it.

"Torito Yuu." I greeted back politely.

"And this is Kuromaru! My partner in crime!" And I nodded in greeting and was surprised to see him nodded back and huff at me. "We'll definitely get along, little birdy."

"That's not fair! How come Tsume gets the nice treatment and I'm still barely being looked at?! Ren, back me up!"

Ren just sighed. "Stop being troublesome and eat."

Dinner was okay I guess. Kaito certainly enjoyed it but I could do without the company. Akio specifically. The persistent blonde was overbearing and his need to touch and make contact was disconcerting and uncomfortable.

I like Tsume nice enough, despite her many violent performances of thrashing her offenders that try to put her down and short temperament to anything that might sound condescending she's actually really cool and I think she would be more than willing to help me explode the school again.

Ren on the other hand still made me wary. His elder counter-part may have made nice but that didn't mean I forgot his stalkerish tendencies, but so far the lazy, desk hugger was more than willing to waste daylight than do something productive.

Overall this little group wasn't bad, but I'm not rolling over and seeking out their company because of this. I'm especially going to give Akio a hard time, unless he's willing to treat again.

Either way Kaito's happy with both options and I'm more than willing to be appeased either way.

_"You may not hold grudges but you're a vindictive, little shit."_

_"Who the fuck ate ---'s food?"_

_"Goddammit, ---!"_

Kaito hummed at the memories and I couldn't help but look forward to that kind of relationship with these guys.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"I think that went well." Tsume trotted down the street with Kuromaru nodding in agreement.

"How? All he did was glare at us and I think I need to be afraid for my life!" Akio complained loudly.

Tsume just scoffed. "You're the one that wanted to irritated the little birdy, and he's wasn't really glaring, he was judging us. Just keep feeding him and he'll come around."

"And why do you call him a bird? If anything he's like a cat with how he hisses and growls." Akio continued to complain.

Tsume just rolled her eyes. "He smells and acts like one, birds are practically cats with wings and he acts like the little assholes with no shame and all the motivation."

"And you know this how?" Ren spoke up curious.

"There's always these crows and sparrows that pick at our dogs and food in the kennels." Tsume complained. "Those little fuckers know it too that we can't actively throw kunai and shuriken at them within the residential areas so they laugh at us after they fly away! At least with cats we can catch and scare into submission!" Kuromaru growled in displeasure.

"Huh, that's surprisingly accurate." Akio looked up in thought. "That doesn't explain why he's so mean!"

"He's a fucking tsundere." Tsume barked at him.

"But what does that mean?" Akio stressed. "I just acted like I knew back at the classroom, I'm really at a loss!"

Tsume scoffed. "Why should I tell you then? If anything, it'll be more fun for me."

"Ren!"

"Don't drag me into something that I can easily avoid."

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"What's wrong with him?"

"Akio was riling Yuu-chan up again when Minato and I were going to ask to have lunch with us. Minato's super happy that Yuu-chan admitted that he sees him as a brother."

Fugaku just sneered. "I can't believe a person like him is deemed a prodigy, loses his composure over some boy that isn't even related to him by blood."

"Careful." Inoichi warned too cheerfully. "A brother-complex doesn't need blood bonds to unleash a beast."

The Uchiha just stuck up his nose, it's already bad enough that a no-name orphan boy took the title of prodigy of their generation, now an even smaller child was being acknowledged by the higher ups.

He's not going to say anything though, it's already proven that he wasn't really a match for the nimble, blonde prodigy. He'll keep his intact pride with grace.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aforementioned asshole campanion's real debut. Kaito shenanigans and concerns.

I was weaving another genjustu again and the teacher was glaring at my newly create companion that waved at him. Kaito thought it'd be great if he could interact with the world around us too.

I created him older, about to enter his twenties, with messy purple and pink hair with glittering, sunset eyes that screamed mischief. I put him in a standard white dress shirt and purple dress pants to make him look elegant with a nice pink bow tie and gloves with a matching purple vest.

Kaito resembled this cat that appeared in my memories that had too big of a grin and knows how trouble comes and when it goes.

He's currently making a house of illusioned cards that was more entertaining than the lecture of Konoha's short history. I picked up a pink card and wondered what other things I can weave.

"Torito..."

I huffed at the warning tone. "What?" Kaito had both hands on his hips and shared the same indignant look but I could feel his amusement countering my annoyance.

"Take it down." Kaito looked stricken, grasped his heart, and scrunched up his face as if in pain.

"If he's annoying you, then do it yourself." I crossed my arms petulantly and Kaito copied with a massive smug grin on his face.

I was five years old reaching six in a month, he can go fuck himself if he can't handle my antics like he failed to do so since I've been here. I felt my lips twitch upwards feeling a wave of chakra wash over us but Kaito just shivered and hugged me as if cold.

It was strange feeling Kaito touch me, it could be because of his gloves but the phantom cool pressure that came with his grip fascinated me. My clothes even crinkled under the illusion's grip but I knew it was the genjustu tricking my mind.

Kaito grinned as he experimentally summoned a pen and wrote in the air in a language that only we knew.

_We should have more fun!_

The words translated seamlessly and I grinned feeling another bout of excitement at the thought of a partner in crime that can disappear and reappear whenever he wants.

But first, sleep. I didn't account how mentally taxing keeping Kaito out could be, I need to figure out how to manage chakra better.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"The fucking brat is a little shit!"

"C'mon, Daichi, he's five, what does he do? Throw a tantrum?"

"I wish! The little fucker is too smart for his own good and knows it and he figured out how to weave genjustu like nobody's business!" Daichi complained. "He calls him Kaito and he's the weirdest and most aggravating illusion I have ever seen! He has to be some bastard of the Kurama Clan!"

"It seems like Yuu-chan is doing well at the Academy." Inoyaku said with a smile.

Shikashi sighed. "Ren reports to me how the little monster does in the Academy, he's still a ball of vindictive energy."

"I think Yuu-chan's doing okay, the kids bring him the the restaurant to get him to socialize." Chouja said taking a sip of sake. "Doesn't glare at Akio-kun as much anymore. I've also met Kaito too, he's, er, unique."

"Oh?" Inoichi looked particularly interested. "What's he like?"

Chouja scratched his cheek. "He doesn't talk but he communicates through chakra, it explains why Yuu-chan has such conflicting emotions."

"Wait, what? That's impossible." Inoichi looked alarmed. "That would mean his chakra has a mind of its own!"

Shikashi also frowned at the implication, it wasn't unheard of with genjustu developing a conscious. The Kurama Clan actually has a history of their users going insane as their own jutsus were turned against them from poor mental resilience after something tragic happened to them. But that doesn't explain before Kaito appeared when Torito's chakra was volatile for no reason.

The brat was still young, too young to really remember anything really but it was odd that a four year old was already acting like an angsty teenager when they did absolutely nothing in his very short life. The only thing that he could really note was the high imbalance of his Yin chakra contributing to his weird chakra behaviors and well constructed genjustu.

And that's another thing, even his genjustu was weird from what he was hearing. Why was it so colourful and completely different to the user? Yeah the little shit had a thing for pranks but it's more lively, friendly, and even nicer person all around from what Ren was complaining about.

"Shikashi, I'm having Akio and Inoichi convince Yuu-chan to come to your son's birthday party." Inoyaku announced.

"What birthday party?"

The platinum blonde just grinned. "The one your wife is dying to throw."

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I looked down at the raven with pink-tinted, purple feathers, it was very distinctive compared to its live counterparts but it was a compromise seeing I couldn't support Kaito's human form.

_"Caw!"_

_"Shut up!"_

_"Caw!"_

_"Dammit, fuck off!"_

_"Caw!!"_

_"---! Tell your damn bird to fuck off!"_

Kaito preened at the memory filtering through my mind, the fond feeling of having an asshole bird companion annoy the shit out of others.

"Alright, try and fly."

Kaito spread his wings and flapped, its body lifted off the ground before going a little higher. The feeling of joy buzzed at the back of my mind as the bird landed on my head.

It wasn't hard to mold the chakra and shape it. I figured that the only reason why other people don't try shape transformation was because of lack of imagination and practice, which is stupid because skating across water was super fun and being able to jump, run, and climb pass human limitations was addicting.

Kaito fluffed on top of my head before poofing out of existance.

Images of kunai, shuriken, and other weapons filtered through my thoughts and I immediately extended chakra into my hand to shape a kunai.

The light, purple tinge of my chakra solidify against my hand and I grasped the handle. I immediately threw the created weapon and it dissipated the moment it left my hand.

Confusion rang from both Kaito and I seeing that the attempt failed. I tried again but with a little more chakra and it lasted a little longer before it dissipated in the air.

I tried again and the damn thing exploded. I shook my hand from the chakra burns I acquired, that'll be a joy to explain to Minato once he sees this.

Why can't I throw a kunai when Kaito and I can be separated just fine?

"Yuu-chan!" I looked over to where Minato was coming from. "What was sound?"

"I exploded a kunai." I said bluntly.

"What?!"

"And I was experimenting what kind of forms Kaito can take too." Kaito poofed into existance in his raven form. "See."

Minato just stared before sighing. "A small part of me is happy that you like genjustu so much but another part is wondering who introduced you."

"Nara-san gave me books to bribe me to go to school."

Minato just sighed and facepalmed hearing that. "Why are you being difficult to people that are trying to help you?"

I frowned at that. "Because they want something and expect me to do it without question. They act like I'm too stupid to figure out they have something else in mind."

"Yuu-chan, you're only five and are extremely unwilling to meet people period. Who did you meet that makes you so suspicious of people?"

_"Sorry ---, no hard feelings but just that I'm getting paid to do this."_

_"Get back down here, you fucker! After --- and I get the hell out of here, we're going to hunt you down, you fucking traitor!"_

_"Can't be a traitor when we were never on the same side."_

Phantom pains bloomed from my left shoulder, the sounds of shattered glass and rapid footsteps along with the faraway smell of gunpowder and blood filled my senses.

_I was betrayed. A man that worked with another sought our destruction, and without our knowing became our friend._

_We had the greatest fun together, talked and laughed, grieved and loved, we shared hardships for years before he revealed his true self._

_And I was the one to put lead in that fucker._

I could almost taste the bittersweet taste of revenge, pulling the trigger on a friend who threw us away.

I snapped my eyes opened to the sudden jerking of Minato shaking me. "Yuu! Oh god, you scared me, are you okay?"

I felt exhausted. "I'm tired."

"I can tell! You probably used too much chakra with Kaito, I'll be training with you for the next few weeks until you- Yuu?"

That's all I heard before I was out, the combination of a mild chakra drain and the horrible memory knocked me out faster than I could keep up. It wasn't a pleasant experience compared to other memories that were also less than happy, the pain of being shot in the back by a comrade would explain why I'm less than incline to trust other five year olds let alone a grown adult.

But for now I have Minato to keep me safe.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Yuu-chan! Did you finished the test all the way through?"

I took that in offense. "Of course I did, I can't just ignore the teacher and not show for it. Who do you think I am?" Kaito even crossed his wings.

"At least that's a better mindset than what Shikaku has." Minato sighed. "You better have gotten top marks on them though."

I scoffed. "It doesn't take much brain power to memorize information and do math. I'm the farthest thing from stupid, you know."

"I know, I know, it just worries me that you don't pay attention in class and do other things." Minato looked almost tired but I couldn't help but look even more offended.

"Now you're just a hypocrite." I accused. "You and I both know that these teachers teach at an agonizing pace, and I know for a fact that you're even more bored than I am because of the fact that you're too nice to actually help me with my 'other things.'"

We both heard and ignore choking and spitting sounds from our teachers. "Fuck!"

Minato just smiled. "Using genjustu in class is inappropriate, especially when it involves the whole school."

"No one got hurt." I shrugged. "It's not a problem."

"Giant walking fruit and talking flowers are not very good for the weak minded."

"The weak minded shouldn't be even here in the first place." I crossed my arms scowling.

"And making people run into walls wasn't very nice."

"I'm not a nice person."

"Please have mercy on Kidai-sensei."

"I don't even know my sensei's name."

"Are you serious?" Minato looked incredulous. "What do you call him then?"

I gave him a bored look. "I don't, he likes to have nothing to do with me and leave me alone unless I'm doing something seriously distracting. I like to think that since I pass the things that matter, he doesn't care what I do until it becomes a problem."

"How come I haven't seen you go to any detentions then? Wait, don't answer that." I gave him a crooked smile as Kaito look smug. "You have absolutely no shame."

I shrugged again. "I have no reason to hide anything, why lie when everybody knows? And it's wasted energy to lie in the first place anyways."

Minato just sighed before ruffling my hair. "As long as you pass, I really can't complain. So the school year's practically done with the finals out of the way, anything you wanted to do for the break?"

I shrugged. "Not really, train?" Kaito poofed out of existance before images of an exploding kunai filtered through my mind. "There was something I wanted to work on." Because of the exploding part, I'll put off that project for later.

"Then if you don't have anything planned, let's go to Shikaku's birthday party!" Minato said. "We were invited!"

"No."

Minato quickly hugged my arm. "You're going."

I scowled. "What makes you think I'll go?"

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"I can't believe I'm here."

Minato literally tied me up and dragged me to the Nara Manor, it must've been a sight to see for the former lazy stalker when he greeted us at the door.

"You'll have fun."

"I don't even like celebrating my birthday." I scowled even harder.

"I see that your brother is still as grumpy as ever." Shikaku looked down at me. "Nice entrance by the way."

"Happy birthday, Shikaku!" Minato said brightly.

"Yuu-chan's here?!" Akio ran into the room. "And he's tied up too! You owe me money, nii-san!"

"The brat's actually here? Dammit!"

I could already hear murmurs of people I don't know, I was already clawing through my bindings with my nails as Kaito helped sharpen them with chakra. Being tied up made him tense and eagerly helped my escape.

I disappeared not waiting for Minato's reaction but I didn't leave the compound though. I was curious on the people that are here, even that peacock was here chatting with a long haired, white-eyed kid in a very passive-aggressive way. More aggressive than passive the way they were flaring their chakra like cats and dogs.

Kaito even spotted Tsume and a boy with a high collared coat whose chakra buzzed like bees and other insects.

"Why are you hiding?"

I jumped from my place and glared at the offender. "Who are you? And weren't you just just arguing with the peacock?"

The white-eyed boy just blinked impassively before laughing. "Uchiha? A peacock? It fits so well!"

I bristled before stalking off leaving the boy. "Why do I stay?"

"Hey, birdy!" I saw Tsume called me over. "Why are you over there? Come here!"

I scrunched up my nose at the amount of people she was surrounded by before I was pushed forward.

Akio was keeping an arm wrapped around me. "Don't be shy, Yuu-chan!"

"I'm not shy!" I snapped at him. "And let go!"

"Oh it's the disrespectful peasant."

I turned my ire to the peacock. "And you're ignorant and childish."

"I'm older than you and far more superior in both strength and knowledge." He started puffing up.

"And as of right now no one cares." I retorted. "It's considered disrespectful to be self-centered in an event where it was only out of obligation that you were invited. Get a hammer and take yourself down a peg or two because nobody likes a braggart."

"A what?! And what do you-"

"Go eat a dictionary."

Goddammit, we're not even past the double digits and this self-centered asshole is only the beginning of budding assholes of our generation. It's only a matter of time before the kid grows up and be a subtle asshole.

"Damn, we need to bring Yuu-chan to more of these things." I heard Inoichi say.

Minato sighed. "Maybe I should've left Yuu-chan alone."

I stalked back off into an empty corner agitated. I didn't like being here, there were too many people wearing fake masks and it unnerved me to where even Kaito was tense as well.

I can tell the younger kids here were genuine in there reactions but the older the person, the more detailed the mask was. None of the adults were willing to take it down, the hidden tense atmosphere was easily seen by me.

"So, brat." I tensed at platinum blonde's appearance. "I heard that you have a new genjutsu, I wanna see it!"

I looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because everyone here is actually curious about it." The older man grinned. "You're quite infamous and made quite a name for yourself with your genjutsu."

And immediately, Kaito poofed out in existance enthusiastically in his human form with illusioned confetti scattering in the air. I scowled at his entrance, I was not in the mood.

"Kaito." I said warningly at him but he just pointed at the platinum blonde and waved to the rest of the room.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

That- that was not a normal genjutsu, it couldn't be classified as a genjutsu but it was and it was terrifying.

Kaito was a completely separate personality from Torito Yuu and can function independently from him. The illusioned being was almost like a clone in the way it acts and can siphon chakra from its caster as needed to show off its tricks. That was the most terrifying part seeing it seems to be doing it without the user's prompting.

Inoyaku was more concerned with how Kaito interacts with Yuu when he wasn't out and about. From the way it behaved before this revelation, it probably acted like another personality that never revealed itself like a normal personality disorder.

The only thing he can do now was just wait for the big mental breakdown that hopefully won't happen. It was seemingly harmless now but the future was already looking bleak.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Thank you for reading!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Character progression.

I hate taijutsu but I hated losing even more.

There was a point in time I knew that I couldn't keep using genjutsu to get out of taijutsu spars, because I agreed to be a shinobi I knew I couldn't hold off in finding a suitable style for me to work on.

_"You don't have to learn any style, just learn to move, flow, and strike. The reason why there is style is because someone did just that and put a god damn name on it for the world to know that they're better than everyone else."_

_I wasn't a fighter but I was faster to move and strike, faster to predict and see. If I had to boast, I was more like a dancer on the battlefield because nearly everybody had a set rhythm they danced to._

Kaito twirled within me as the hazy memory dissipated I looked back up to Tsume who had a cocky grin, we were sparring because I knew she'd be the perfect partner to help me achieve what I wanted out of this spar.

I sharpened my eyes again and watched as she lunged faster than before and-

_"Did you see that? Just because we're human doesn't mean we can't develop powers. Powers that we already have, we just need to practice it."_

_"The brain is an amazing thing, it can process information faster than a super computer! You already have amazing eye sight, now your brain can process it better after all that self-torture. You're crazy to do that to yourself."_

I took a step barely dodging Tsume's blurry form before I jumped farther away to gain some distance. I needed a breather from the memories and the sudden hyper awareness that just happened.

Kaito cheered at the new ability I unlocked though, he was absolutely ecstatic and I couldn't help but grin with him. Getting beat up on days end for this was so worth it.

"Just because you dodged once doesn't mean I'll let you do it again!" Tsume lunged again and I could _see_.

The way her movements gave her away, where her eyes are pointing her body, and the way I could move move just in time that doesn't let her compensate for the sudden change.

I kicked her hard.

"Come at me!" I gave her my own feral grin.

It was so much easier to dodge her now, she wasn't moving any slower but just the fact that a single second was all I needed to know where she's going. I was easily jumping, flipping, and stepping out of the way of her attacks and easily lashed out at her at the right moment.

I was weaker than her, laughably weak compared to her, but I couldn't care less about that seeing messing with my opponents are much more fun than beating them up.

Tsume gave a cry of frustration before whistling. "Kuromaru! Get over here and help me get that bird!"

I became extremely alarmed hearing an enthusiastic bark and Kaito came poofing into the battlefield as a bird puffing out his feathers trying to look bigger.

The next couple of minutes was an all out battle of everything we've got, Tsume was too frustrated to really keep it a taijutsu spar between us so I threw genjutsu after genjutsu at Tsume while Kaito tugs at Kuromaru's tail.

Tsume screamed before throwing kunai and shuriken at me. "I refuse to fight you anymore! You god damn birds are so damn annoying!"

I poked my head out behind from a large rock. "You're the one who called out Kuromaru! And Kaito's smaller and a genjutsu!"

"Kaito's not a genjutsu, he's impossible to dispel!"

Kaito was flattered by the comment and looked smug, I felt smug at the fact that I finally achieved my goal and annoyed the fuck out of Tsume. It was a good way to end this break before going back to that god awful place. For a place of learning, it does not stimulate my brain at all.

"That was awesome, Yuu-chan! You went from getting beat up to dodging everything she threw at you!" Akio looked absolutely excited. "How'd you do it?"

I took a drink of water before answering. "I knew I wasn't going to win any matches with pure strength so I capitalized on my focus, Tsume was faster and stronger than me so she was the perfect sparring partner to help me with that." I took another sip. "If not then I got some practice in."

Today was great, Kaito was happy with the violence and I was happy with my training results. Rabbits and a nap will be my reward for today.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I was drawing on my worksheet.

I was drawing Kaito in his bird form before drawing other birds from small finches to feathered raptors along with dinosaurs and its reptilian cousins.

Our new teacher was too cheery, even when I had Kaito out in his human form acting like a model student, he was promptly ignored and continued to smile and drive on.

I like him, so I left him alone. But that didn't mean I wouldn't do my own thing seeing it was still a god awful slow curriculum. If there's one thing I was happy about having a brother, it's that he's more than willing to share books and study with.

It also helps that intellectually, he was the same as me. We could never slow down to other people's average pace so we just keep going farther and farther ahead in our studying.

But execution? Minato was a hard-hitter with an arsenal of ninjutsu that can overwhelm opponents. I was more a hit-and-run while messing with you horribly with genjutsu to where I hope to build it up to causing mental break downs.

I think I'm at a good start.

Kaito pointed at a drawing of a feathery lizard before poofing away with the feeling of excitement and anticipation. I concentrated at the image and weaved it to life as a shimmering, purple-scaled lizard appeared with exotic pink feathers that trailed from its head to flaring out to its tail beautifully.

And it was the size of a medium dog. It sat obediently in the seat next to me sticking its tongue out panting like a dog. Though Kaito doesn't make sounds at all, it was easy to imagine it.

I was a six, soon to be seven, year old dead bored in class.

I dropped my head to the desk and slept like Ren.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Genjutsu was ridiculously easy and useful to where I wonder why nobody else uses it as often as ninjutsu or taijutsu. Just because the people here are unimaginative fucks doesn't mean that they can't use it flexibly.

Actually, imagination is probably the reason why these people don't use genjutsu.

It was always commented that it took concentration, chakra control, and precision to lay down a decent illusion and putting down layers of that was even more taxing than it's worth.

Whoever put that bullshit in people's minds have my thanks for setting up these sheep to reek havoc on their brittle minds. Watching the poor bastards try to dispel multi-layered genjutsu that made no sense to them was therapeutic for me.

I don't really like the generic genjutsu that trick the mind but confuse the fuck out of it. If you see walking rabbits, cats, and even bugs as if they were full sized humans giving you a polite greeting, well, seeing is believing as they say.

And it doesn't have to be that either, a simple change of colour perception and layer that with multiple of the same thing with different colour arrangements and then the paranoid ninjas are thinking that they must be drugged because it doesn't look like it's a genjutsu anymore.

That was a fun day for me.

"Yuu! What is that thing?!"

I looked up at Minato. "It's a chimera."

"What in the world is a chimera?!"

"It's an animal that has a lion's head, a goat's body, and snake for a tail. There are variations but I wanted to keep it simple, and it's a girl by the way." I clarified.

"Why?!"

"She's harmless!" I defended. "And I'm not causing any trouble, am I?"

"I still see blue! And everyone else are pink!"

I crossed my arms looking away. "That should be the third layer so just dispel it another three times."

"Why did you put so many layers?" Minato asked exasperatedly. "At the Academy?" He stressed.

"To prove these narrow-minded teachers wrong." I pointed at the twitching chuunins. "Said I wouldn't go far as a ninja with genjutsu, said it's too easy to take it down." I looked at them darkly. "Not so tough with your sanity is in question, is it?"

Kaito cheered and filtered more ideas for another layer, it's easy to have grotesque and horror scenes to freak out ninjas but childish, fantastical, and colourful imaginations are much more traumatizing seeing it's so much more memorable. It was glorious and Kaito was great to have to fuel my vindictive rage.

"Yuu-chan, if you're going to do an Academy wide attack, can you leave me out of it? And maybe our friends too?" Minato pleaded. "Or at least warn us before you do something?"

A guilty pang resounded in my chest but didn't let it show. "I guess, but I'm not stopping."

Minato just gave a strained smile. "I wasn't asking that, I'm not sure I can stop you anyways."

_"I'm just happy you don't go overboard with your shit. Fuck you and your pranks."_

_"Why? Why?! My hair!"_

_"Fix it! Fix it!"_

Kaito cheered again as I saw similar images to the one I was seeing now. A nostalgic feeling came over as I stood satisfied over the chaos and panic in the eyes of my victims.

"Yuu-chan, don't enjoy this too much or I'll make you go to a mental hospital." Minato sighed.

"We're becoming ninja at a school that encourages children to stab each other, I'm literally the most harmless thing here."

"Harmless, yeah."

  
  


_-Line Break-_

It was cold, I hated the cold but I loved winter.

Snow blanketed the rooftops, everything's clear and crisp and brought my senses alive, and best of all the cold drove everybody into their houses meaning nobody bothered me.

But it was so fucking cold!

Kaito did his best to circulate chakra within me to keep warm but the orphanage's lack of heating system didn't get rid of the winter chill. Thankfully it did held back the cold winds.

Usually I'd have that jacket I bought a little over a year ago with the hides of the rabbits I killed but Minato was having a training camp in the middle of this awful weather. Apparently this training camp was supposed to help kids get over their 'first' kills with cute snow bunnies while being mentally pushed by the unforgiving season.

Survival training or whatever.

If I was there, I'd easily dig myself a hole near some tree roots and start a fire to cook the damn rabbit. Unlike what people believed, healthy trees and grass don't get caught on fire that easily, especially when trees carry gallons and gallons of water in them already. Frozen trees and snow covered, wet grass isn't going to catch on fire unless you were an idiot.

Rabbit sounds delicious right now actually.

Minato better be enjoying that fucking rabbit right now, especially seeing I taught him how to hunt and skin the little bastards. The cheery blonde also better not get blood on the jacket because it costs more than he think it does.

I curled into the blankets feeling empty. As far as I can remember, I spent my winters with Minato suffering together. Even with other memories burying me in this extremely short life, it doesn't escape the fact the ones with Minato were practically my only ones. The freshest ones.

He really has been there for all my life like a real brother, all his attention seemed like it was on me every time I look back on it. I never really asked why I was so special to him but I'm glad he was there. Out of all the kids at this depressing place, he chose the one that hated his guts the most.

I'm lucky he stuck around.

_"We're practically family, you little shit, you don't get to choose because you're a self-destructive fucker that doesn't know how to socialize."_

_"Happy Holidays! Because we're drinking regardless whose birthday we're celebrating!"_

_"Look, big brother! Snow!"_

_"Ha! You got snowballed in the-! F-fucker!"_

_"Aw shit, it's almost time for the party and I got blood all over me. Got spare clothes?"_

_"This is for you, thanks for being there ---."_

I curled tighter feeling tears threatening to fall, these memories were flowing in one after another just show what I had. What I can have.

The room suddenly isolated and I actually felt what being lonely was really like. It was a hollow feeling of want and sadness that made you feel like you were falling endlessly.

I could feel Kaito tingle within me with leaving me with the last bit of warmth before falling asleep. It was very cold.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Yuu-chan! I'm back!" I turned to the cheery blonde fidgeting slightly. "Did you miss me?"

I didn't look at him. "I missed you." I couldn't look at him feeling red in the face.

"Yuu-chan?"

I hugged him tightly burying my face into his chest. "Welcome back." I said but it came out muffled.

I felt him pet my head scratching in between my hairs. "I'm back. Thanks for the jacket by the way, I think I was the warmest out of everyone."

"You better have appreciated it then." I gave a small growl. "And there better be no blood either!"

"I think the teachers were more concerned about my more willingness to kill and eat the rabbit."

I huffed. "They should know we don't have the luxury to buy food when ever we want, they should consider themselves lucky that they have one competent kid that they won't have to worry about."

"I should be concerned that you're the one that taught me how to hunt." Minato rubbed my back. "It wasn't exactly an experience that I was eager to get."

I gripped his sides and glared up at him. "You're not starving are you?"

"I was more on the fact that you taught yourself to hunt in the first place, I should've been the one to teach you."

I snuggled back into his chest. "You're always teaching me something, it's only fair I do to."

"You make it sound like you owe me, I'm your big brother." Minato stressed. "I'm allowed to spoil you."

"I'm absolutely rotten."

Kaito was amused feeling Minato's resignation at that statement and I sighed contently feeling everything was alright again.

_"You're a sad drunk you know that?"_

_"Just- just hug me and we'll never speak of this. Or you'll never speak of this, you can be damn shameless when you want to be."_

_"I'll miss you, big brother."_

It was warm with Minato, this was the best part of winter.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Hey, Yuu-chan?"

I looked up to Akio lazily. "What?"

He lightly tugged at my still indigo hair. "Have you thought about cutting your hair?"

"Why? You're hair is longer than mine."

Akio shrugged. "It's kind of a tradition for my clan and it just fits us, but your hair is messy and seemingly unmanageable. You don't tie it up or anything, doesn't it get in the way?"

I hummed closing my eyes feeling a memory rise up from my mind.

_"Does this look pretty? I think a bow would make it better."_

_"Big brother, I need more clips! I can't keep it down!"_

_"Your hair is so soft big brother, do you think mine would've been too?"_

I let my haze lingering to process out the feeling of loss that came with the images. I couldn't tell how she even looked like but she was the most beautiful girl I knew and not another could prove me otherwise.

_She was so sick, terminally sick._

_Her treatments made all her hair fall from her pretty little head and no matter what I did for her, I could tell she wanted to have hair that matched her dresses._

_I grew out my own hair, let it fall long and proud because wigs were just a painful reminder for the both of us. Let her style it any way she wanted and went off to missions proudly because it made her happy._

_I kept growing it even after I couldn't see her smile anymore._

"Yuu-chan! How could you fall asleep on me?!" Akio tugged on my hair.

I twitched irritated before slapping away his hand. "I'm tired." Kaito buzzed sleepily.

"How? We just got to class!"

"Shut up." I growled at him.

I put my head down and snuggled into my arms and wondered if she was living another life too. If she was happy and healthy.

Having long hair wasn't bad, it hasn't bothered me yet and it just means I could fight with a glaring weakness as this.

_I can fight with style and grace because fuck people._

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Review please! And thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Academy Arc coming to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In all honesty, I rapid fire this part of the story to get it out of the way. I don't like the nitpicking of every day and every detail of a character's life. Especially during the years when the characters are figuring out their shallow lives as children. Not that I'm saying it's bad to do, just that to me, kids in general don't really have a grasp in empathy so it's hard for me to not time skip through these years and get on with it.

It's been a couple of years and I've met the prettiest person ever that just entered Minato's year and class. I was curious to see who it was and snuck in the classroom to see who was able to jump the system and be placed with the graduating class.

"What are you looking at, brat?" The scarlet-haired girl snapped at me.

Kaito was now snapping back. "I was going to say I liked your hair, but you can go fuck yourself with it."

I stalked away from the stunned girl with a bad mood, Scarlet was just another person with a piss-poor attitude that I can avoid. It was a shame that a pretty colour was on such an unlikable person.

And then the following days came by with Minato acting like one of his fan girls with all the sighing and day dreaming he was doing. I didn't asked who made him like that, I rather not, but I did find out eventually.

"This is Uzumaki Kushina!" Minato happily introduced.

I narrowed my eyes. "You." I growled at her.

Scarlet looked at me nervously before awkwardly speaking. "So you're the wi- er, Namikaze's little brother?"

I glared harder at her at her slip up. "And what about it?" I snapped at her and she shrunk.

"I- I'm sorry about when we first met, I didn't know you liked my hair." She fidgeted under my gaze.

"Did I miss something?" Minato looked concern.

I looked at him and back to her. "I'm watching you."

"Yuu-chan? Did something happened between the two of you?"

I huffed. "It's not important, she's much more sensible than majority of the people here." I conceded.

Minato brightened. "I'm so happy you like her."

I bristled but let him hug me. "Whatever."

I was sure that he'd get over his little crush on that Uzumaki girl but I watched with morbid fascination as he gave his attention to a girl that calls him a wimp. He wasn't horribly obsessed like his fan girls but he was definitely head over heels for her.

I was actually jealous.

I wasn't going to do anything to her though, Minato was graduating this year and he'll easily forget about her when he's a genin. She may have pretty hair but there's no way a weak girl like her would ever get together with my brother.

I was going to be watching her.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I was glaring at Minato's jounin-sensei. The man had pure white hair of an old man but he had the looks and vitality of a young adult. My poor brother got stuck with the peacock and one of the Hyuuga twins that I couldn't be bothered to differentiate

"So I finally meet the little brat that my blonde brat likes to talk about." The taller man just grinned down at me but I returned his seemingly kind gesture with a suspicious glare.

"I don't like you."

"Yuu-chan!" Minato sighed resigned. "At least be nice?"

I shot him a look. "He's the one that's been stalking the Academy for the last few months of the school year, he fails at hiding and he likes to hang around the bath houses peeping at girls. He's going to teach you how to get beat up by girls by the end of this month."

The peacock looked disgusted. "And he's our sensei?"

"Hey! You shouldn't spread lies like that!" The pervert said indignantly.

"And full grown adults shouldn't harass others in such an indecent manner." I sized him up. "And unlike you I have no time for lies, lies are a waste of time to think and work on."

The pervert scoffed. "You're a genjutsu user, brat! Your whole style relies on a lie!"

Kaito appeared in his lizard form and we both snarled. "The only reason why you believe that lie is because you're a narrow-minded pervert like the rest of the world that's too lazy to actually explore its potential!" Kaito started growing. "Let me show you exactly how much of a lie Kaito is!"

Fully grown and with massive feathery wings, Kaito's roar pierced Konoha's peaceful atmosphere before breathing fire at the man that dared to insult us. The pervert knew he was in trouble, I knew the damage the Kaito can do and the damage is very real.

With practice, I was able to use and add shape transformation into my genjutsu and that included Kaito's forms. I could make solid kunai and other knives without them exploding in my hands, I didn't bother trying to throw them anymore because it was a waste of chakra.

And I didn't have to make Kaito's whole form solid, like, right now only Kaito's head has real solidity so I can spark fire chakra and burn the pervert like he deserves. The genjutsu gave him an illusioned body but I could make him nearly real if he was smaller. I didn't have a big reserve like Minato but it was big enough for me to do this.

And I thank my brother for teaching me that fire jutsu. Couldn't have done this without him.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" The pervert screamed before sending out a medium-sized water jutsu to wash out the fire. "It's real?!"

Kaito poofed into his bird form to save my chakra, that took about a good third of my reserves. "Better believe it, pervert!" Kaito puffed his chest in smug pride. "Just because you have no imagination doesn't mean I don't either."

"Please don't kill my sensei." Minato said. "I just became a genin and I would like to be a chuunin before you do."

"I don't like him." I scowled and crossed my arms.

Minato just petted my hair. "You're just cranky that I'll be moving out of the orphanage."

I bit my tongue trying to keep down a blush. "I- I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Didn't you just say it was a waste of time to lie?" Minato chuckled. "You know, you can come live with me if you want. It's not like you sleep at the orphanage these days, and I'd feel much better knowing that you have an actual roof over your head than sleeping in a tree."

"It's not bad sleeping in a tree if you found one that is as big as the one I found." I muttered before looking up at him. "You mean that?"

Minato just gave an exasperated smile. "Of course I do! I'll be able to properly care for you now!"

Kaito purred at the touch like I did though I didn't show it, I was happy to know that Minato wasn't getting rid of me. "Don't you mean I'll be taking care of you? You'll probably be so swamped in training that I'll have to cook and clean after you."

"I would love to have some of your food, Yuu-chan! You make a good rabbit stew and I'd like to try something new too!" Minato looked satisfied at that.

"You make me sound like a house wife!" I snapped at him.

"Yeah! You'd make a good-" Minato stopped before a blank expression came over him and it wasn't long before a dark, angry atmosphere came that twisted his expression into a very strained smile. "Hey, Yuu-chan?"

I looked at him warily at his tense change. "What?"

"Don't go near anymore boys."

"What?" I deadpanned at his random command. "What are you talking about?"

Minato just patted my head again. "Don't go near anymore boys."

"He's a boy himself!" The pervert shouted. "Just because he's girly looking doesn't mean he's going to attract any attention."

Minato flared. "My little brother is the cutest little brother in the world! Don't you deny that! He'll have both harpies and pigs lining up for me to slaughter!"

"Your brother is hopeless." The Hyuuga said. "I don't know how he was the rookie of the year."

"Something we both can agree on." The peacock muttered.

"This whole team is hopeless." I said in response and left the training grounds promptly.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Happy birthday!"

I yelped before bursting into multicoloured confetti to distract my offenders in order to hide in the ceilings. I was glaring at the idiots that were holding various stuff, I wasn't pleased to see the pervert or the peacock here. The Hyuuga was okay seeing he left me alone and I was confused on why Scarlet was here.

"I told you surprising him was a bad idea." Tsume said. "Now we need to find him."

"But it's traditional!" Akio cried. "And this is the first time- ack!"

I dropped my book I was holding onto him. "So you're the one who planned this."

"You're a mean little eight year old, you know that?" The pervert said. "People would like you more if you were nicer."

I bristled. "And people would like you more if you weren't such self-absorbed pervert that doesn't know shit about genjutsu!"

"At least I have a reason to be self-absorbed!"

"And I don't need to impress people to know I'm great at what I do!"

Akio winced and grabbed my arm to separate the pervert and I. "Let's not fight on your birthday, okay? You're eight years old like the rest of us now! Though we're going to be nine soon..."

I huffed. "Didn't I say I don't want a party? I never had a birthday party before so why start now?"

Tsume just slung her arms around my neck. "Because we just realized that we never celebrate your birthday, I bet you don't even know what date it is today."

"It's the 15th of October." I said irritated.

"It's the 22nd actually." The Inuzuka smirked. "I had to switch your calendar so that you wouldn't prepare when you caught wind of this. Here's your original!"

I frowned. "What? But how?"

"Did it with your dear brother's cooperation." She grinned wider and I glared at Minato.

"I only allowed it because I knew you'd go and hide for the entire day." Minato put his arms up in defense. "And don't worry, I got rabbit in the pot, the cake is for our guests."

It was weird to have an occasion for me, everybody here was showing a degree of genuine happiness that I was another year older. Sure I've attended the other's birthday parties out of obligation and every one of them I made food out of request of their parents mostly but it's not like I did it with joy.

Ren and Akio got me senbon, a lot of senbon. Akio did it with great pain knowing that many of them were going his way, I admire how light they were and threw one into the fake calendar with great pleasure at how everyone winced.

The smell of gunpowder and blood filled my senses watching the senbon's body sunk halfway into the wood the calendar was hanging from. Because of its shape and light weight, it traveled faster, quieter, and easy to direct force to pierce through objects.

"It's a good thing senbon are much more cheaper than kunai " Minato inputted. "People don't use them because it takes precision to throw them properly but I see that you won't have any problems."

Akio and Ren's gift was cool but Tsume's was weird.

"You got me a bird?" I looked down into the cage. "Why is its wing broken?"

"It's not broken, it's just hurt."

"Why is its whole wing wrapped then?"

"It's a burn."

I looked down at the pathetic looking brown bird and looked back up at her. "You do know that once it's better I'll be releasing it."

She just shrugged. "Eat it if you want, I just wanted it out of the compound."

I looked down again and almost saw a pleading looking the bird's eyes. "And you decided to give it to me."

"Just accept it, birdy, I even got you bird food."

Kaito cooed at the small bird and I opened the cage. "Fine, but it's going to learn how to live here or not at all." The small thing hopped over to the opened door but didn't dare to come out.

Dinner was interest as we took the meal to the living area of Minato's apartment, so many people in a tiny space made me nervous but it wasn't bad seeing that it was safe. The pervert was trying to impress whoever and Scarlet was as nervous like last time.

Later even Inoichi came around with Shikaku to pick up their wayward cousins, which disappointed me because Ren was a great meat shield against everybody here. Tsume left with the Nara and Yamanaka and Hiashi, the Hyuuga, left with the peacock right after making the living area more quieter without their arguing.

"Here!" I was startled at Scarlet's sudden shout. "I got you something too!" I gave her a suspicious look and found a brush inside the box she presented. "I like your hair too, 'ttebane! You wear your hair better than the wannabe kunoichi back at the Academy." She said confidently trying to cover her nervousness.

I looked back at the brush, it was a pretty red with purple designs and pink gems. The bristles were thin wires for thick hair like mine and it had a rubber handle for easy grip.

It was flattering hearing somebody liking my hair. "Thanks, I've been needing a new brush for a while." I looked away raking my thumb over the bristles of the pretty brush.

Minato grinned widely. "After you take a shower, how 'bout I brush your hair?"

I nodded at that. "I'd like that, hey, Scarlet?" The Uzumaki blinked at me in confusion. "If you want to stay the night, you'll have to take the couch."

I liked being groomed, especially when Minato does it for me. All the knots and tangles come out easily enough but I have a lot of hair. It looks messy only because it was thick and long, it took a while to brush out and I get bored to brush it thoroughly

Today wasn't bad.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Hey, Namikaze?"

The blonde looked up from his scroll to see Kushina standing over him. "What's up, Uzumaki-chan?"

He saw her eye twitch. "How is your brother the way he is when you're such a -a wuss?"

Minato just smiled, a little sad too. "Yuu-chan just doesn't know how to express himself normally, he doesn't really trust people either." He looked up wistfully. "The other kids were particularly cruel too, for being different, you know? He didn't look like any of the other kids or villagers and being an orphan meant that he wasn't part of a clan. The matron was already stretched thin so I decided that I would take care of him.

"He grew up too fast, grew up to where he was afraid of people and even me. He knows when people are lying too, adults particularly like to lie to us kids and Yuu-chan didn't like that. I wondered when Yuu-chan became so distant, he likes having company but he was afraid of them. He didn't like being afraid either so he became a little terror."

Minato sighed sadly making Kushina think to herself. "It doesn't sound like he gave you a easy time."

"Of course not!" Minato said distressed but still smiled fondly. "Convincing him that I really did see him as a brother was hard, you know? He's always waiting for me to say to opposite, still is actually. I know because he sometimes gets this look on his face when he thinks I'm going to push him away. I think that's why he's so adamant on not having friends."

Kushina frowned. "I guess I can understand that, being here in Konoha is a little difficult seeing no one else really had red hair." She twirled her hair in her fingers.

"I was hoping for you two to get along actually, I was a little concerned at first with how Yuu-chan was glaring at you but I'm glad that it got better!"

Kushina flushed. "Yeah, uh, I didn't give a good impression and when I saw what he could do at the Academy and found out that he was your brother, I knew I would eventually see him again."

Minato nodded in agreement. "Yuu-chan may not believe in revenge but he becomes vindictive when given the opportunity. Said that he can't waste his time planning revenge when he has better things to do but he'll pounce when they're off-guard."

Kushina laughed nervously. "I'm glad I made nice then."

"You should be, he's very creative and his genjutsu can become real and can breathe fire. And I'm also pretty sure he's a wind nature too, he won't have to be near you to throw poisoned senbon or kunai with the eyes he has. If he ever goes down the poison route that is."

"Now you're scaring me, Namikaze."

"I should be, who do you think my cute little brother goes to for practice and ideas? Certainly didn't learn it at the Academy and he certainly doesn't get them from his friends either." Minato chirped. "Yuu-chan may not be like me but I'll certainly make sure no enemy will ever be near enough to hurt him."

"Yeah, he'll drive them to insanity first like he did at the Academy, 'ttebane..."

"Exactly! Only even worse!"

Kushina suddenly wondered why Namikaze let her push him around. He's obviously not a wimp and a lot more blood thirsty than he appeared. The happy blonde probably got that from his brother actually seeing the little scary monster was more than willing to send out his own monster to terrorize others.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"I hope we're on the same team guys!" Akio shouted with high hopes.

"And I pray to that non-existent god that that doesn't happen." I muttered.

Tsume looked at me. "I'll probably end up with you, birdy, I'll be the front liner and you'll probably fucking with people from the back."

I snorted. "Like fuck I am, and Kaito's too eager to fight to be support."

_"Wanna bet who'll get the most kills? I got a new toy that'll collect heads faster."_

_"Dammit! First blood should've been mine!"_

Kaito buzzed in anticipation at the thought of blood. I was scared at the prospect of being that much closer in being in the battlefields outside of Konoha's walls but my own blood was singing at the rush it'll bring.

"We won't know in a couple of months so stop worrying about it." Ren grunted as Akio was still on him. "And get off."

"But we have to be on the same team!" Akio whined. "Or else Yuu-chan will regress!"

"Torito Yuu."

I looked up at the teacher irritated who interrupted me from throwing a kunai. "Yeah?"

The teacher's eye just twitched before continuing. "There's someone here to see you."

I just stared at him in suspicion. "Who?"

"Just go to the damn room next door, brat." He snapped. "Consider yourself lucky."

I glowered at the chuunin before leaving. So far all of my teachers barring my first and second year teachers left me to my own devices but this asshole was determine to 'teach' me respect for my superiors. It hasn't worked seeing I was very self-sufficient and now excelled physically too, above average in strength is still better than majority of my class and nobody is faster than me, the man still tries to get me off guard because genjutsu users were more physically weak. Bastard.

I'm sure he liked tripping over his own feet when he found them tied together after trying to demonstrate how to deal with a fast opponent with me as an example. Fucker.

Kaito poofed into existence as a human before testing the door with his fingers. He slowly opened the sliding door and I peeked behind him to see a kunoichi with light blonde, shoulder-length hair looking at us with amusement.

"So your the famed brat that has the chuunins here rattled." She grinned.

"What do you want?" I asked and Kaito crossed his arms with a demanding aura.

She nodded in approval. "I'll be frank then, once you graduate, you'll be my apprentice."

"And what makes you think I'll be okay with that?" I glared at her. "I don't even know you and I know apprenticeships require for both parties to agree, who the hell are you?"

"You mean you don't know me?" She looked surprised.

"You're awfully self-centered if you think you're that famous." I growled making her laugh.

"Jiraiya warned me about you but I didn't think you were this bad." She just smirked at me.

I bristled at her attitude and the name she brought up. "And what makes you think I'll train under someone that associates themselves with that pervert? I refuse to train with a pervert, especially female perverts!" Because fan girls were worse than the males even with their subtle tenancies

I ducked dodging a chair. "You got something against females, brat?"

I growled back at her. "Female perverts are the worst!" I ducked to dodge a desk. "They won't stop stalking my brother, and they're creepier than Nara-san, and they have no sense of self-preservation when I know they can't climb up five stories and they don't even know how to climb down!"

The kunoichi just grew a vein. "Did you just call me a fan girl?! Brat! I'll show you what a real ninja can do!"

"Fuck off, lady! The only real kunoichi I know-!!" I dove out of the way with Kaito flying away in his bird form.

The lady turned to me as if she didn't tore down the wall behind me with her fist. "I'm the only kunoichi you know." She gave me a strained smile that had an angry twitch to accompany with it. "And you'll learn to respect your betters after I'm through with you!"

My feet started toward the window. "There's no way anyone will respect you with that kind of temper!"

I heard her crash through the windows as I ducked under flying debris. "And a mouth like yours will?!"

"Unlike you I don't need to show off for people to leave me alone!"

But punching through walls and trees was awesome though, I was amazed to see the ground from a ten story tree as the crazy lady punched the ground and uproot it.

I would've continued to run if my dear brother didn't catch me.

"What did you do the the Academy?" He looked at me sternly.

I panicked when he wouldn't let go of my arm. "Let go! There's this crazy lady that appeared and she won't stop following me!"

The pervert just laughed. "You may just have hope yet, girly, was she hot?"

"She's fucking insane!"

I managed to get free before I felt the ground on my head. Then black, a whole lot of black and a panicking Kaito, a furious Minato, and a gaping pervert and teammates. Maybe it's a good thing that I passed out.

Fuck, of course the jounin-sensei I was going to get was more physically orientated, and I wasn't even a genin yet!

  
  


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Review and leave a comment! I'd appreciate it!


	7. Chapter 7

Tsunade looked down at the unconscious brat that was being doted frantically on by one of Jiraiya's. The only reason why she even agreed to an apprentice was because she lost a bet with the overgrown pervert at cards.

She severely underestimated the type of person the kid was despite having the best chakra control in his year. In his generation more like.

The little brat heavily specialized in genjutsu but his records show that his hand-to-hand was exceptional even if it was sloppy and based on reaction time than an actual style. His aim with weapons were deadly and his eyes were deadlier being able to spot irregularities as if he had a doujutsu.

He would be perfect as a medic if the reports weren't discretely saying he would be a blood thirsty little monster once that hurdle was cleared. She would try and convert him if he also didn't have that fear of being around people and being a medic required a lot of personal space being invaded during training.

There's also the fact that a Yamanaka inputted that he also might be mildly insane.

She could work with that, she would rather have mildly insane than emotionally repressed. At least with insanity she'll able to see his emotions than him hiding them, insane people are usually more than happy to show just how they feel about others before exploding. The more blood thirsty types anyways.

"Did you have to knock the kid out like that? Now training's canceled because Minato is in big brother mode!" Jiraiya whined.

"Shut up, Jiraiya!" Tsunade shouted. "The kid pissed me off, he deserved it!"

The pervert just shook his head. "I can't believe you chose him of all people, you better prepare yourself if you're serious about taking him on."

"He's a brat with issues, I deal with ninjas of all kinds with issues too." She just brushed off. "I can handle it."

The little terror wasn't a solider that seen the horrors of the battlefield, putting him in his place wouldn't be that hard.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Senju Tsunade was the crazy lady's name and somehow I found myself under her apprenticeship much to Akio's chagrin. I couldn't find myself rejecting her offer, I also didn't want to be the one that created extra paperwork for the top boss up there seeing I would've been the odd man out in our class anyways.

But she's still crazy though.

"Listen up, brat, you should feel honoured to be apprenticing under me. I'm consider the strongest kunoichi and the greatest medic-nin there's to offer so you better shape up your attitude." She declared and I just scowled.

"And this is supposed to make me?" I sneered at her. "It doesn't matter how strong or good you are at your job, if you can't teach, you're useless to me."

I dodged her fist. "You better shut that mouth you have there."

"But it's true, isn't it? The only adult that actually taught me anything was Nara-san and the only thing he did was give me two books. Everything else I either taught myself or Minato taught me, all the things the others did was just regurgitated information and a waste time that hides behind the veil of formality that is a 'rite of passage' for kids when it's actually a pissing contest for adults to pit their children in a glorified arena."

Tsunade's lips twitched up but was still angry. "I can assure you that the Academy has nothing on the real world, brat! And only one chuunin is there voluntarily! Don't compare us jounins to chuunins that fucked up somewhere in their careers."

"Obviously." I crossed my arms muttering. "Fine, what do you want from me?"

"You're too damn violent to be a proper medic." I looked at her unimpressed. "But I will make you more qualified than the ones at the hospital twiddling their thumbs, you're already over-qualified with your chakra control so all we need to do is apply it and add anatomy to your knowledge base.

"We'll also add in more taijutsu lessons along with start building your poor repertoire of ninjutsu and if you reach an acceptable level in skill, I'll even teach you my super strength."

Kaito became giddy at the thought of bulldozing through buildings as did I, but shook my head to rid of the distraction. "And what about the Chuunin Exams? Those things are team required, you know."

I ducked another punch but she still managed to get me in a headlock. "You're too green to be thinking of the Chuunin Exams! And just be glad you don't have to go through a teamwork test the others have to go through because they're in teams! Now run!"

The crazy bitch threw me with kunai, senbon, and shuriken trailing fast behind me. I was already speeding my way through shrubbery and onto rooftops to increase the distance and ammunition between us.

"Fuck you!" I felt fear feeling a light slice on my cheek despite my best to shake her aim.

"You better run faster or else you'll be dead when a real enemy-nin finds you!"

"Find this you fucking crazy medic!"

I made everyone's world burst into multicoloured explosions before sending Kaito out to scout and peck. Multiple times I had to reapply my disorientating genjutsu and multiple times the crazy lady just tears them down in seconds. Kaito eventually couldn't even keep form because the lady had _that_ much chakra to throw around. I could solidify his whole body like I did his beak but that would be a waste of chakra myself.

Well she did wanted me to practice.

The Great Fireball Jutsu that Minato was able to wrangle out of the peacock just clicked with me where I can feel the fire well up naturally. Kaito can breathe fire on demand but I still needed to go through the seals.

But that's fine, I swear that I'll memorize the feeling of fire scorching through my veins, the hot anger that wells at the pit of my stomach, the burning sensation in my throat being scorched by my own breath.

The smell of gunpowder and ash was prominent as Kaito and I released our fury, trailing fire following her every move. She was fast but I can tell where she'll go next.

Then the ground shook under me and I was nearly blown into the air by a water jutsu if Kaito didn't drag me away with his claws. Kaito roared at Tsunade in absolute fury lunging his reptilian head snapping and breathing fire at the medic who in turn was releasing water jutsus at him in succession despite not effecting him too much.

With them getting distracted with each other, I was trying to refocus but the continuous chakra use was blurring my vision. I knew Kaito was slowing down with his fire because he was aware of the drain but was all for trying to tear our sensei with his hardened claws.

I pulled out two kunai and wrapped an explosive tags around them sending a mental signal to my illusioned friend. With a poof of smoke, Kaito was back at my side as a human and was already throwing the second kunai with mine.

I blacked out once again from chakra exhaustion after hearing the satisfying explosion in front of me.

But fuck. We missed.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Tsunade..."

"What? I was training my genin."

"Tsunade... You're brat is unconscious on my floor."

"He'll be fine."

Kaito hissed trying to make his creator as comfortable as he can but with little chakra to run off of though, he could only do so much in his bird form and make his displeasure known.

"And what is that?"

Tsunade scowled. "That's his little genjutsu that pecked at my hair!" She growled as she picked at a strand of hair.

The Second Hokage sighed with Sarutobi Hiruzen doing the same. "So that's the little rascal that's been causing havoc in the Academy." Senju Tobirama looked down at the prone form and the hissing bird guarding over it. "I can see why my chuunins have been losing their minds, I can see the start of it."

"Hmph! I can't believe that I agreed to this anyways."

Hiruzen just took a puff of smoke. "I think it'll be good for you, just take your training in a forest next time, not into the village."

"Blame the brat for that, he's the one that ran into the village." Kaito hissed again before going after her fingers. "You little rat!"

Kaito puffed up smug as her fist went through him, he crowed loudly before taking his place into his creator's hair.

Hiruzen just looked down at the illusion. "What a particular genjutsu, it operates outside of the caster's desires which is concerning in itself."

Kaito just hissed at Hiruzen's observations before burying himself under Yuu's arm and hair. He liked his human and the only concern he is to is any threat that comes their way.

"It's certainly interesting, Tsunade, give me updates of this kid's progress. Especially his genjutsu progress, he'll be Konoha's greatest genjutsu user or another one for the mental facilities." Tobirama kept a hard look. "Make sure the latter doesn't happen."

Kaito again hissed before poofing away back into his human. He was appalled that they thought of him as a start of something bad for Yuu's mental health. If anything, he was a foundation in keeping it in tact and organizing these memories at a manageable rate.

He was created to keep his creator stable whether he knows it or not, it was the only way Yuu knew how to differentiate himself and the memories of who he was before. He knows these memories are his but his time from before made his mind fragile, so fragile he'd break completely.

Yuu's mind immediately latched onto his imbalanced chakra as a way to cope with the sudden onslaught of memories and every moment Yuu's chakra were being balanced out, Kaito got stronger. The Yin imbalance was what really gave Kaito life but without the Yang to support his form, the only thing he could do was hold back and comfort through the memories.

Kaito was happy though, Yuu liked him a lot and these memories were much easier to manage as he grew up. He can't wait for the day when he can actually talk to his friend than rather make animal sounds in his animal forms. You think when Kaito first formed Yuu would give him the ability to talk, for all his imagination and sight, Yuu can miss the really obvious details.

But that's fine, what Kaito's really looking forward to is the hunting. He's terrified and excited when Yuu will have his 'first' kill again, that'll be the moment that will make or break Yuu completely.

After all, Kaito may not know Yuu's name from before but he does know that Yuu was a beautiful killer. Every hunt, every kill, and every life that passed him by shaped someone and those like him with a free passion that tipped on the lines of sanity, morality, and truth.

Kaito so desperately wants to see that with Yuu too and he knew Yuu was more than willing to gain that freedom again.

It'll just take a little more time.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Yuu-chan?!" I just snuggled into the couch before Minato picked me up again. "What did Tsunade-sensei do this time?"

"Ninjutsu practice and made me do chores right after."

Minato clicked his tongue. "I can't believe she's making you go through chakra exhaustion over and over again."

"She's a medic, she knows just how much I need to spend before it gets dangerous for me." I grumbled sleepily.

"C'mon, Yuu-chan, go and take a shower and dinner will be ready." Minato doted. "Tsunade-sensei and Jiraiya-sensei also came by earlier to graciously give us exactly two days off to decompress for a little bit. Akio somehow got wind of it and begged for the day with the others."

I groaned. "How does he know I got the day off before I do?"

I retreated into the shower to recover some of my energy back. The smell of the familiar rabbit stew let me know Minato went hunting again, probably when he was out with the team again. We had enough funds to afford groceries but we never knew how to spend money leisurely so we just squirreled it away into our bank accounts and stuck with what worked over the years.

Minato was more than happy to have security in regards of funds and we only bought the necessities. It also helped to our growing fortune that the apartment building we lived in was provided for ninja accommodations for free while taxpayer money funded it. We really had no real bills that we were paying.

"So how's training going besides the usual?" Minato placed down dinner.

I shrugged. "Sensei is adamant on building my reserves and medical skills. Said that I can't use a senbon and not learn the spots in the body I can aim for to totally incapacitate the enemy. She also is advocating for having at least one combat medic-nin in teams too, so I'm like her guinea pig she gets to present to prove a point."

Minato smiled at me. "It sounds like you're having fun."

"It's more interesting than the Academy." I nodded. "I knew the basics of what she's talking about but learning the details and how to take advantage of them is fun."

"It's too bad that you don't have a team though." Minato sighed. "You can't do a lot of stuff without being in one."

"It's fine." I chewed on a rabbit piece. "Sensei said that she'll be pushing me onto other teams that are doing C-Rank missions once the others get to that level. Said that by that time, she won't have a lot of time to cram me like she is now because of her proposal to the council."

Minato nodded. "Sounds a little lazy but it's understandable, Jiraiya-sensei got me started on chakra natures and taijutsu practice." He happily told me. "And soon we're going on another C-Rank so hopefully you get to come with us."

I nodded back. "Definitely better than doing this everyday."

"Jiraiya-sensei is also pushing us to take the Chuunin Exams too." Minato said. "I think something big is going to happen."

I put down my spoon hearing that and grimaced. "I think, I think the Hokage is preparing for war."

"What?!"

"Sensei is pushing hard for her medic proposal but the council is rejecting it in favour of putting their funds in increasing man power. She's adamant on helping out on the oncoming war so I think she might even push me to take the Chuunin Exams too."

Minato looked shocked. "But how? When?"

I shook my head. "I didn't get to hear much but from what I can gather, it seems like the other major countries were gathering resources and alliances of the smaller ones but the increased financial tension made it obvious that we can't hold back anymore."

A tense silence of our own shrouded us as I felt Minato despair over the situation. I felt bad telling him just now but I didn't know what was going on in the meetings Tsunade-sensei was going to until recently. I'll be the first one in my class group to go to the exams, first one to get promoted if I pass.

"There's nothing we can do but tough it out right?" I looked up to Minato's trying smile. "That means we'll have to train harder to get to a level where no enemy-nin will get passed us." There was another silence before he spoke up again. "Say, what else do you plan on specializing in?"

I tilted my head. "What do you mean?"

"Like, I'm going to start on Fuinjutsu after our day off." He said determined. "I want to develop seals of all kinds to help people and use them to protect after seeing what Jiraiya-sensei can do with them. I also want to create a jutsu but that'll be farther into the future but I'll definitely be working on chakra control and practicing more ninjutsu as a start." He looked at me again. "What are you planning?"

I gave him a contemplating look. "I'm not really sure." I told him honestly. "I thought about poisons but I know I'm not diligent enough to keep track in their development or even start collecting vials of them." I thought back to my first official training session with my sensei. "I think I'll stick with chakra control but focus on the nature affinities, Kaito can breathe fire on command for some reason while I can't without a jutsu. I think I'll try to incorporate my nature affinities with my taijutsu."

Minato nodded. "I can see you do that, but have you thought about practicing with a weapon? A weapon can help you focus, increase your attack strength and maybe your defensive capabilities too depending what kind of weapon you choose."

I looked up in thought with Kaito eager at the prospect. "That sounds good actually. I'm easily a mid-range combat-nin, albeit an unconventional one, but maybe something more defensive like a bo-staff?"

The smell of gunpowder filtered through my senses again, images of fallen bodies and splatters of blood coated the white walls. There wasn't any fear but pure defiance of the opposition and I knew regret wasn't even present when both parties knew the toll of playing the game.

"Yuu-chan!" I blinked opened my eyes accompanied with the rush of adrenaline, Minato was shaking me in concern. "I think you should go to bed, you've had another sleep spell again."

I closed my eyes before nodding. "Yeah."

Minato calls them sleep spells because I tend to get the real intense visions when I'm stressed or tired. I'd hate to tell him that the memories were associated with the training and everything related to just killing, he'd make me dropped this career faster than I could run away.

I felt bad, really bad for not telling him about my memories, but I don't think these are really important to share. They're effecting my life but I like to think that as long as they don't hurt my friends, they can stay around and actually benefit me one way or another.

"C'mon, Yuu-chan, we can save the rest for later. Bed." Minato nudged me onto his shoulder.

I nuzzled into him. "Thanks, nii-chan."

Kaito purred approvingly at my decision. He seems even more delighted at my naming of my stunned brother.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hoped you enjoyed! Please leave a review.


	8. Chapter 8

"Nii-chan!" I growled at my leech. "Get off!"

"Yuu-chan! We need to find the perfect weapon for you! Let's go!" Minato had me by the arm and was dragging me towards a weapon shop.

I could feel Tsume smirking. "The birdy and his keeper, how cute."

"But why is Namikaze so happy?" Scarlet asked.

"Because Yuu-chan is addressing Minato as 'nii-chan'." Akio said. "Yuu-chan is so stingy on how he addresses people, Tsume's so lucky that he called her by her name! I got stuck with 'mini-mini platinum' for the longest!"

"Is that why he calls me Scarlet?" The Uzumaki asked.

Tsume nodded. "It's what he thinks of you, it's not derogatory so don't worry, he likes you enough."

"But he calls Fugaku a peacock though, I can tell it's more teasing than what-not so I guess it's fine." Uchiha Mikoto commented with a smile. "It's too bad Hizashi isn't here."

"Or Ren, had to go practice his clan's jutsus which I know he skimped out on, the bastard." Akio muttered. "At least Fugaku is here to suffer with me."

Mikoto gave the Uchiha heir a dark look before he said anything. "Hmph, I'm only here for the weapons shopping. My hopeless teammate wouldn't be able to pick out a proper weapon for his brother seeing he isn't the best with weapons outside of short swords anyways."

The weapon shop was an out of the way shop on a little hill, it was far away from anything from the village actually. Near the Konoha walls faraway.

"Welcome! Name's Io!" A short man came out enthusiastically. "Anything I could help you with?"

I immediately pulled away from Minato's arm and ducked under some hanging blades. The smell of lubricant, oil, fire, and ash tingled my senses and made me curious of the little building of fire and metal.

The blades disinterested me, they were too stiff for my quick-action style and the only thing I would do was cut myself reacting to an attack. I was very mobile, I use both hands when dodging, and I'm not built to stay in close combat for long. I needed something to get away from it more specifically.

I eventually found myself staring at a bo-staff with three protruding handles that stuck out like arms. They weren't even on the same side and the one at the very end was half the size of the other ones that were as long as my forearm. It reminded me of a tree branch.

"I see you found one of my more versatile creations!" I saw him pluck the staff off the chain. "It's my simplest design but I like to think with the right ninja, it'll be the most fear weapon in the nations!"

"You said that with the other weapons." I heard Tsume commented.

"Shut up, brat!" And he proceeded to _twist_ and I was amazed seeing him holding the weapon by its handles as they collapsed into two different sized parts, _tonfas._ "See this? Now you have two weapons to beat the snot out of people! And that's not the best part!" He twisted the two parts together again and twisted the one at the end to detach it like before.

"So it's smaller, it's redundant."

"I said shut up, brat! This part is special because it's made entirely out of metal that conducts chakra! It's hollow too so that even more chakra can be stored!" He said proudly.

"But besides hitting someone over the head, it's not very useful."

I wasn't listening to the rest of the conversation as I stared at the small detachment in Io's hands. Images of shining silver replaced the black metal and the smell of gunpowder was more prominent than before. The loud sound of cracking thunder flashed in my hands and clattering metal soon after it was fired.

My hands automatically swiped the gun-shaped piece of metal from his hands. "Hey, do you have some targets?" I asked the startled blacksmith.

"Y-yeah, I have some dummies-"

"No." I interrupted him. "Range targets."

"But it's not made for range-"

I smiled flashing my teeth. "I'll show you how deadly this weapon can be."

"Yuu-chan?"

I followed the little man who nodded eagerly at my promise, I ignored the confused murmurs behind me as flashes of cracking thunder became the only thing I could hear. The wood became white-washed with smudges of gray marks and the targets became ivans.

The handle was a little long but so was the barrel, I channeled my chakra into it and I could feel Kaito sing as he helped shape the chakra into a compacted little ball inside the chamber. It was crude and even primitive, but the sensation that I felt was all the same.

I squeezed the non-existant trigger aiming for the head-

"Yuu-chan!" I felt myself being picked up off the ground. "Are you alright?"

The smell of ash and fire, real ash and fire, filtered through and my hand was trembling from the recoil. "Yeah, I am. I guess I didn't realize how much of a kick it'd have."

"'Kick?' You blew the whole god damn target to pieces and set it on fire!" Akio said in awe. "I just felt you push chakra in-"

Io bulldozed his way on top of Akio with tears streaming. "I've never seen anything so beautiful!" He turned to the ruined flaming target and back to me. "Please do that one more time!"

Minato seemed to disagree. "I think Yuu-chan needs to rest from that."

"I just underestimated the recoil, nii-chan." I swiftly got to my feet. "I don't think any of us would've expected recoil at all actually." I looked down at the gun. "I'm fine really!"

Minato relented at my silent begging. "Fine, if you can't control it this time, no more."

I nodded eagerly and went back to position, I wouldn't let these memories distract me this time. My eyes sharpened towards the target and I compacted another chakra bullet again within the barrel. I held back the explosive energy before releasing it in a much more controlled manner and watched the target get pierced than explode into fire.

Kaito's satisfied purr thrummed into myself after hearing the soothing crack of thunder and watching the bullet hit home. I smiled as I felt almost replenished despite using a nice handful of my chakra.

"How much for the entire weapon?" I was not letting this go.

"Free, I already get paid from your Hokage, kid." Io said. "It's my job to provide weapons to you crazy ninjas, I'm actually surprised you brats even found this place. Why do you think they moved me all the way over here?"

"That's not what the chuunin said when he directed us to your place." Akio said.

I loved my new weapon, it was versatile and had a _gun._ A weapon that I'd never thought I would get my hands on. I was happy with today even if I got dragged out.

"Yuu-chan looks so happy, it's almost scary to see a smile like that on his face." Akio grinned himself.

"Yeah, he had the same smile when he finally tied and gagged you to the ceiling back at the Nara compound." Tsume grinned.

Akio immediately looked distressed. "That was not fun! He was pushing me with his foot as he went to sleep! And Ren didn't help! In fact, he was Yuu-chan's pillow!"

Ren was a good pillow, he was at least quiet.

  
  


_-Line break-_

Minato sighed thinking about his little brother. The long-haired bundle of volatile energy was a book easily read but not easily understood. He found himself having to reread the book many times to try and see what kind of genre it even was.

Nevertheless, Yuu-chan was precious to him. Watching the boy grow up with him made his days brighter and nights less foreboding. The orphanage wasn't an easy place to grow up in and the apartment they lived in was definitely not as lonely if Yuu-chan wasn't there.

Minato sighed again feeling dejected.

"What the hell are you sighing so much for? You ain't dating yet." Jiraiya said annoyed.

"My little brother is growing up too fast!" Minato cried. "And before I know it, I'll be beating up suitors when they start lining up! It's horrible!"

Jiraiya threw a rock that Minato easily dodged. "I gave you the day off to make you stop whining about your brother! What's wrong with you now?!"

"Yuu-chan is growing up! When I saw Yuu-chan picked his new weapon, I thought I was going to have a heart attack! And then I thought of when he would direct that smile to someone else...! I can't! It was love at first sight with him and that weapon!" Minato pulled at his hair. "And it's just right after he started calling me 'nii-chan'! How can anybody resist how cute Yuu-chan is?"

"Because that brat is a little sociopath that hates people?" Jiraiya dodged a kunai.

"My little brother isn't a sociopath, he's a tsundere!"

Jiraiya snorted. "Yeah, because that makes it better. Anyways, kid, Tsunade will take care of your little brat so focus on something else. Like your budding relationship with that Uzumaki girl."

"And of course that's what he encourages rather the extensive art of Fuinjutsu that he's laid out." Fugaku said in disgust.

Hiashi nodded. "And you wonder why Torito absolutely hates your guts."

"Hey, the brat is a little shit and you all know it!" Jiraiya defended.

Hiashi snorted. "After he set fire to your hair."

Minato sighed again looking almost longingly into space. "He's grown up so fast, I need to buy a camera stat. I refuse to not have something that can preserve memories."

"And that includes pictures of Uzumaki-chan, right? Be a man and hurry up and hook up with her."

Fugaku kept an impassive face. "This makes me wonder if this is what Torito feels when faced with everyone else. That man is an idiot."

Hiashi agreed. "Indeed."

Because for all of Torito Yuu's violent tendencies, he's as much of a genius as his older brother. But unlike his brother he severely lacked the same patience as Minato does.

Total opposites the brothers were in both style and personality but they oddly compliment well with each other.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Katou Dan was an interesting person with an equally interesting jutsu to couple with.

"Hello, Torito-chan! It's finally nice to meet Tsunade-chan's little apprentice." He stuck out his hand.

I looked at him suspiciously before take it. "Likewise."

"Tsunade-chan told me what you can do mostly, but I heard that you've been wanting to expand your nature affinities right?" Dan asked.

I perked and nodded. "I figured since I'm good at chakra control I could incorporate it to my fighting style."

The jounin nodded. "And do you know what affinities you have?"

"Fire as my main and wind as my second." I answered. "I haven't got to work on wind yet though."

"Then we can start there, I heard you can experiment on your own once you grasp the basics. Tsunade always says that that was the best part of you." Dan said with a Minato-like grin and I looked away blushing a little.

"Whatever."

I couldn't get over how much he was like Minato, he was kind and gentle and very patient like my brother. He was passionate about what he was doing and he was smart too, I have a feeling he was just as embarrassing and the only reason he wasn't being weird like Minato does is because he's just a stranger still.

Wind tore through the trees and even uplifted some of the larger rocks in the clearing we were using, I feel that he wasn't even putting everything he had to it seeing that even the trees look like they wanted to uproot too.

"See? That was the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough. It's an easy basic wind jutsu for beginners but it becomes much more devastating when it's handled much more properly." Dan said easily.

I twitched at the nonchalant display of power and nodded. "Alright."

The feeling of something at the fringes of my fingers were there tingling up and down my skin in an intangible embrace. Kaito was absolutely in love with the feeling of freedom that the wind nature provided and my senses expanded outward before-

Pleasure erupted as I released _fury_ upon the trees as gashes were sliced upon the bodies of the trees. It was like I was free falling with gravity pulling on me endlessly in the air as the wind was rushing _with_ me.

I was still in a daze from the gratification from using the wind jutsu.

"That's a more violent result than I expected." Dan commented.

I was still flushed from the jutsu. "S-shut up!" I crossed my arms. "It's not surprising anyways." I'm a violent person so all my results will be violent one way or another.

"Then let's continue!"

Goddammit! He was like Minato in almost every single way, and it was pissing me off that I can't even look at him in the eyes and not blush. It didn't effect my learning but it was seriously annoying that this man is as disarming as Minato is when my brother was teaching too. At least with Minato I'm used to but this complete stranger was throwing me off big time.

"Hey, Torito-chan? Is there a reason you won't look at me?"

I blushed harder at being caught even though I wasn't even trying to hide. "You just remind me of nii-chan a lot." I muttered.

"Oh? Really?"

I nodded still not looking at him. "He teaches like you do and I can't imagine anyone else being like nii-chan so it's hard to look at you. No one else is ever like that with me so it's weird."

Because even Minato had a difficult time with me. Dan was skipping straight to Minato's level and I didn't like it because nobody was like Minato. The man needs to just stop his weird familiarity and back off.

Dan looked a little surprised before laughing. "You're just as cute as Tsunade described Torito-chan, you must love your brother a lot."

"I do and that's why you shouldn't be so much like him. It's weird!" I bristled at him.

I ducked away when he tried to pet me. "C'mon, Torito-chan, you can like other people, you know."

"Well I don't like people!" I snapped and his grinning face just made me more flustered. "And stop smiling! It's- it's weird!"

"All the more reason to do it more! C'mon, Torito-chan, wanna get something to eat?"

"N-no, you weirdo! Don't come near me!" I hissed at him. "And while you're at it, keep that distance at a good ten feet away so I don't have to see your face."

Dan just cooed. "Minato is lucky to have you as a little brother! I wish my little sister showed me love like this." He sighed longingly.

"What in the world is going on here?" I heard sensei's voice and immediately scrambled behind her.

"Make him stop being weird." I growled glaring at the man.

Dan just waved me off. "Torito-chan has a brother complex!"

Sensei snorted. "You're telling me, I'm just glad the brat keeps his thoughts to himself. Unlike his brother anyways."

I snarled at both of them, I did not have a brother complex! That was all Minato with his overbearing ways and what's wrong with loving your brother? They're absolutely gross when they're in the vicinity with each other and I've been around them at the same time for about a total time of ten minutes!

Fucking gross giving each other gooey looks like they are now.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"It's so exciting to be on a mission with Yuu-chan!" Akio cheered. "And on our first C-Rank too!"

Tsume grunted. "Put a cap on your excitement, it's just a delivery."

"Settle down children." Their silver-haired sensei said easily. "It's good to see you again, little birdy."

I crossed my arms. "The feeling isn't mutual."

The man just laughed. "I thought you and Shikashi settled your differences."

"I heard the sweets thing was your idea."

"You have a great memory to remember things when you're four." He gave an easy smile. "I'm happy that you and your brother turned out to be great budding shinobi."

"You know Yuu-kun, Sakumo-sensei?" Ren looked intrigued.

The extremely tall man nodded. "Your clan head was on a recruiting job and Minato-kun and Yuu-chan got picked up. I just happened to be around at the time when Yuu-chan was giving Shikashi-san a hard time."

I snorted. "Should've done better to bribe me."

"Shikashi-san is happy that you're doing well."

"He's happy that nii-chan and I are self-sufficient." I dismissed. "He was a lousy recruiter."

We were heading towards the Wave country where the trading industries were at a steady decline because all the transport means were slowly being bought out by a single company. Our client was forced to hire shinobi and requested his package to be delivered there with the specific note to handle it with extreme caution.

Sakumo-sensei did the sensible thing and stored it into a storage scroll.

It was boring but we were told to keep our guards. Sakumo-sensei didn't explain but I knew the threat of Kumo-nins were real seeing their borders were close to the Wave's. Hopefully the local bandits will be smart enough to stay away from us seeing we don't have any obvious goods.

The journey was quiet besides Tsume's and Akio's occasional outbursts and the moment we reached the water's end I could feel the hairs at the back of my neck stand. The mist was prominent and suddenly I just remembered that Kiri-nin were a bigger threat than Kumo seeing we're going to be in their natural element.

I pull at the hitai-ate around my neck before continuing on but I could feel Kaito's anticipation at the invisible danger. My bo-staff was in its halved state for easy carry and the water underneath my feet tingled in a foreign manner unlike all the other times I practiced the water-walking exercise.

We were being watched heavily and I was having none of it. Tsunade-sensei literally beat how to suppress and release chakra into me because I was like a beacon apparently. Kaito was absolutely livid at being stomped down but found other ways to stay out from within me. Mostly as a very, very small gecko that was easily masked seeing everything gave off chakra to a degree.

Every step I took, I released small amounts of chakra into the water and let the genjutsu sink in slowly until the world became mistier and disorienting. Little pearly colours of red and purple added into the mix to signal my teammates whole knew my colour codes well.

Akio took the steps first. "Hey, sensei, should we worry about how misty it is?" The Yamanaka scratched his head three times in a worried manner.

Sakumo sensei just smiled and pat his arm twice. "It's always misty here so there's nothing to worry about, you're doing well."

Tsume sent Kuromaru a few steps ahead of her. "Yeah, and if we're attacked, I'll save your sorry ass."

"How troublesome." Ren just said before his eyes sharpened.

And just like that, the water ten-feet away from us exploded and I couldn't help but gleefully smirk at the flailing Kiri-nin trying to stay above the surface.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"I don't know! I can't swim all of a sudden!"

It was painfully easy to round up the confused Kiri-nin and go about our day. We couldn't really kill the poor bastards and we made sure that they weren't a real threat. They were chuunins doing border patrol and went our separate ways in a tense truce and it'll remain tense until we left the Wave.

Kaito was disappointed at the lack of bloodshed and cursed politics, I gave the little gecko a little pat on his head. He just huffed and climbed into my hair to view from the top of my head.

"We'll have to be extra careful when going back." Sakumo-sensei said seriously. "Now that Kiri knows we're here, there's no telling what will happen."

Akio looked concerned. "But wouldn't that be obvious? And war isn't something that anybody is prepare for seeing Kiri is in one now."

Kiri's cold civil war with each other has been taxing on their forces and economy. Their caste system wasn't effective in creating loyalty with their strongest ninjas and they've created more missing-nin than any other nation since the end of the Warring States Era. It also didn't help that they were still severely damaged from invading Uzu a few years ago.

"That doesn't mean accidents can't happen." Ren said bitterly. "And it doesn't look good on us taking revenge on 'accidents'."

Arriving to on land and into the bustling city was a refreshing change from the tense atmosphere. The people were lively and many things were up for sale from produce to weaponry. I spied a stall selling various scrolls with cheap pricing, the stall's person probably didn't know what they were selling.

"Go ahead kiddies, explore this place and come back to the hotel before the sun sets." Sakumo-sensei shooed us away. "I'll be delivering the package so don't cause a scene."

"Hai!"

I was already slipping away from the group to explore the moment we got the okay. I was walking down the market place to see what they have to offer, the very first one was an accessory salesman commenting on my hair while the second one was offering me a dress. I henged quickly after seeing I stood out in the dull misty grounds, I forget how businessmen are like sharks when trying to out do each other. They preyed on potential clients and fed like madmen.

The book stalls were interesting, a lot of obscure subjects that weren't well known. I picked up a couple of Fuin books that were probably stolen from the Uzumaki Clan seeing it had their symbol on it. Minato would appreciate this.

I went towards the weaponry stalls and found nothing of interest, sure they were cool to look at but I wasn't needing to get a new weapon soon. Minato already has a wakizashi as a back up and it was a chakra conducting one given by the pervert.

The stall with the scrolls was the one I wanted to see, the scrolls were sorted by colour and everything was priced the same despite how rare or how useless some were. The only one that was different was the giant one and that was only triple the price of the generic-sized ones and it was still cheap for what it was.

I wanted it and that storage scroll I could put it in.

The salesman was eager to get rid of the 'paper weight' as he called it and gave me a discount on the thing. He was a bigger sucker than my sensei and I left knowing the man was cheated on a very big sale he could've made. I felt lucky to be able to grab it first before any other person recognized what it was. I'm surprised that nobody swarmed the thing the moment I was put on display.

I was quick to retreat to the hotel to see what kind of summoning scroll this was before the rest comes back. I also didn't feel like getting hunted down if someone did recognized it for what it was.

Sakumo-sensei was there in the hotel room reading his book in a chair. "Oh? Back already?"

"I got a summoning scroll."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

I took out the storage scroll and released the giant one inside. "I don't know what kind so I got back as fast as I could."

"Must've been expensive."

I snorted. "For the seller maybe, such a valuable scroll was wasting away."

"Hmm? It's a contract for the Lizards." The taller man said. "I guess that's alright, still fits you seeing lizards and birds are more related to each other."

I looked up at him with a questioning look. "What makes you think I'm going to sign it?"

"Why buy it? Seems like a waste." Sakumo-sensei looked perplexed.

I shrugged. "Summoning contracts are a commitment, I don't rush decisions like that." I felt Kaito's curiosity though. "Plus, I rather not anger the animals Kaito likes to be mostly."

"I think they would be flattered, I know I would be once my little pup grows up."

I looked at him. "Pup? You have a kid?"

He grinned and took out a photo. "My little 'Kashi was born a couple of weeks ago and he's been a little angel."

I looked at the tiny bundle in the woman's arms, the women herself looked sickly but happy with her little boy. "He's small." I took the photo. "I can see he'll look like you when he grows up, with his mother's senses of course."

"My little pup will be strong like his papa." He took back his photo. "But having Nai's sensibility wouldn't hurt him." He laughed before turning his attention to me. "You seem doing well with Minato-kun too, I was concerned that having children going to the Academy at a young age was going to be taxing on them."

I shrugged. "It's like a daycare really and it's easier to integrate kids, civilian kids, to the ninja life style if it's the only life style they know. With the restlessness between the borders, I can't blame the Hokage for changing the age limit."

"Ah, so you know."

"Don't worry, I didn't really think about it until Tsunade-sensei was taking me to the meetings with her." I stored my purchases back into the storage scroll. "Minato knows and I haven't told anybody but him."

Sakumo-sensei nodded. "It's not exactly a secret but only chuunin and up are really aware of how bad it is. I would like to ask you to keep that to yourself if possible, I would like to be the one to tell my genin."

"...if they ask me, I'm not going to lie."

"I don't know how much you know but I'll assume a lot if Senju-san is willing to let you know so much." He thought for a second. "You're a terrifying child, you know that, right?"

I scoffed. "I'm as terrifying as you want me to be."

"That's good, you should visit sometimes, I think you'll be a great role model for 'Kashi."

"Where the hell did that come from?!"

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Scarlet got kidnapped and Minato was in an absolute frenzy. We left swiftly, I had to follow him when he grabbed his mission pouch in such a way that screamed 'trouble is here!' and told nobody what's going on. I can tell that Scarlet got kidnapped when there was a trail of her hair down an overgrown path.

"Nii-chan, how much longer until we reach her?"

"Ten minutes if we keep this pace." He replied. "Can you create a distraction?"

I smirked. "Leave it to me, make sure to get Scarlet out before giving them hell."

We ran faster cutting the time vastly seeing a slow moving caravan making its way and I immediately readied my bo-staff in its tonfa form. Channeling as much wind chakra as I can before rushing into my target and slicing the ground next to them creating panic among the kidnappers from the sudden attack.

It was great, these Kumo-nin were scrambling and my genjutsu was making them easy to pick off. Kaito made himself known in his giant reptilian form and he was the only one they were focused on as Minato made a swift recovery of one Konoha kunoichi.

I was in a tree enjoying the show my dear friend was creating. My initial attack was just to setup a good environment for Kaito to thrive in and seeing the Kumo-nin's ineffective attacks made me happy that my genjutsu was effective against the unaware enemy. Attacks were easily brushed off against the non-existent body and the tips of Kaito's claws scratched the ground giving nothing away.

And the fire should be attracting back up any moment.

"Did you have to make such a big scene?" I felt the branch I was on slackened from the added weight. "I said a distraction."

I shrugged. "I wanted to signal more of our guys seeing we did just run off, plus these Kumo-nin are going to take responsibility for taking Scarlet in the first place." I scowled. "This is also going to send Konoha into war if they won't give us a reason why they were so close to the village in the first place without us knowing."

"So you're keeping them in place." Kaito was slithering through attacks preventing any Kumo-nin escaping. "I see that they're not as injured as I though they were."

I scoffed. "I'm not stupid."

"Of course not, Yuu-chan." Minato said easily. "I'm just happy no one got hurt, right Uzumaki-chan?"

Scarlet's face was flushed before nodding. Minato was happy to have Scarlet in his arms and I narrowed my eyes at her. Her usual tomboyish demeanor was lost and her red face was fixated to Minato's the same way his scary fan girls get when they were talking to him.

I think it's about time I fought with her, Minato's already in too deep with his feelings and Scarlet was now seeing how good of a person he was.

If she thinks it's easy sailing from here then she's going to have to rethink her position.

Everything was wrapped up nicely and the Kumo-nin were detained by the Anbu that came by swiftly with the pervert leading them. Apparently Minato rushed out on the pervert when he couldn't feel Scarlet's chakra signature anymore.

God, Minato is becoming a stalker at this point.

Scarlet is good but she has to work hard if she wants to stand next to Minato as an equal.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed!


	9. Chapter 9

War was teetering at the edge in Konoha and somehow I was attending the final part of the Chuunin Exams in Suna. I was with a team of genin that lost their teammate in a bandit attack. Shin Ichimaru and Nara Morino were older than me by a few years and have been stuck as genin because of a lack of a teammate.

I can tell they were bitter that I was taking the place of their fallen comrade but were willing to let me stand in through the duration of the exams. I was glad that the team portions were over, I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from making the situation worse. I know I wasn't a team player but that was a horrible experience.

"Yuu-chan!" I grunted as Minato pounced onto me. "I'm so happy that you made it through the second exam! Those cave systems weren't kind to me!"

"You're making a scene, nii-chan." I was still sitting in my seat, away from my temporary team. "Please don't aggravate the others."

Minato really didn't look like he had a fun time, he was covered in dirt and I could tell from the dried blood that he did most of the hunting compared to the clan heirs. From their exhausted chakra levels, it seems like they've been most of the heavy hitting, probably from trying to out do each other.

"I'm so happy that we both made it through!" Minato snuggled into my hair. "Where's your team by the way?"

I frowned. "We're not on the best of terms so I'm staying out of their way."

"Oh, at least we made it, yeah?" Minato tried. "We have to get chuunin, Yuu-chan, not just for us but for everyone else."

I nodded letting Minato cling onto me. "Yeah, don't hold back either."

The oncoming war was weighing heavy against Minato's mind. After Scarlet's kidnapping, he's been training hard to make sure something similar was dissuaded in a show of power. He's determined to shine the biggest spotlight onto him to let the world know that he's not fucking around if they dare try anything.

We haven't experienced our first kills yet he wants to aim a target at his back. He's aiming big with his Hokage dream, that's for sure.

The only thing I can do then is guard it from any fuckers that think they can go near my brother and not get caught. There isn't a chance in hell that anything will escape my eyes and I'll make sure my brother lives past this war.

"Any genin that has failed to make their way through the caves are now disqualified at this time!" Everyone was silenced at the announcement. "The first battle of the third part of the Chuunin Exams will begin!" A roar of approval was sounded before a giant screen was blinked on.

"Look, Yuu-chan! It's the Hokage!" Minato pointed. "And the Tsuchikage and the Kazekage too!"

"Welcome to the Chuunin Exams!" The Kazekage said.

I tuned out the formal welcoming speech, I couldn't be bothered with the flowery words that covered the real intention of these exams. It was to make money and scout out the opposition while showing off to the others on who was better. The better the performance, the more clients we'll have that will come to us for service and we have to be careful in observing and showing off what we can do.

Seeing that only Iwa, Suna, and the Leaf made it to the finals, of course our respected Kages will be here.

I'll be relying on my bo-staff and act as a heavy-hitter, and hide my genjutsu abilities. I was lucky that genjutsu as a main style was considered suicide so they would never think a no-name, clanless kid would amount to anything.

The fuckers.

"The first match will be between Torito Yuu of Konoha and Kawaishi Akechi of Iwa!"

Minato gave me a worried look before giving me a strained smile. "Good luck, Yuu-chan!"

I waved back before jumping down to the arena. The Iwa-nin was already sneering at me even though I could feel his fatigue, he must've recently come out of the caves.

"'Yuu-chan?' You tree huggers are getting soft and arrogant, especially when they send a kid to these exams." My opponent boasted. "I'll show you how a real ninja fights!"

"Sure." I can't get motivated to fight this clown, he's not someone I want to deal with any longer than I have to.

The Iwa-nin got angry. "You fucking brat! You won't get far with that attitude!"

I sighed and ready my bo-staff. "Whatever." Bo-staff, tonfa form, gun, so many ways to hunt this prey down. I went for my tonfa form.

"Your weird sticks won't stand up to my blade!" My still loud opponent shouted. "I'll cut them up!"

"Both fighters, ready?" The proctor sounded leaving the air tense. "Begin!"

We both blurred and clashed, the sound of metal meeting each other went three times before the Iwa-nin threw an earth jutsu at me. It was easy to see his movements, watching his eyes to know where the earth spikes will appear.

It was pathetically easy to dodge the oncoming spikes and just for show I channeled my wind chakra to slice my way through one to show just who this fucker was dealing with.

I charged, I hardened the chakra in my arms to couple the already devastating attacks like sensei showed me and went through everything that fucker threw at me.

"Don't get cocky! Earth Style: Mud Wall!"

I just increased my chakra and ran straight through the wall knowing that would make sensei proud. I gave the fucker a vicious grin before twirling my giant tonfas.

"I think we can agree this farce has gone long enough, yeah?" I twisted my two halves together into it's original form. "I'm through playing with you."

"Earth Style: Mudslide!"

I twirled my odd-handled bo-staff before gathering my wind chakra at the end of it. "Wind Slicer." I slammed it down sending a sickle of pure wind chakra cutting through the earth jutsu. The terrain wasn't for that kind of jutsu and he did not put in enough chakra for it to be effective.

Kaito practically howled at the destruction and domination of my attack as it scarred the arena. I separated my bo-staff knowing it's over, he'll survive seeing I didn't aim for him. I'm just happy that I was able to test out my weapon on an actual opponent.

"You- you little bitch." I heard coughing and the Iwa-nin was heavily wounded from the debris that was reflected back from his attack. "You missed."

"Really?" I said sarcastically. "I would say you missed too." I gave him a mischievous smirk.

The Iwa-nin crawled himself to his feet even more angry at my implication. "I'll make you regret not killing me."

I blurred to him and swiftly kicked the fucker into unconsciousness, but not before making him remember my face as I gave him a condescending smile.

I'll make him remember me when we meet on the battlefield.

"Torito Yuu is the winner by knock out!"

The crowd cheered and I could feel the rush fade from my body, even though this was my first opponent I fought face to face outside of the safety of the village, I was oddly disappointed.

I think a little part of me was actually looking forward to the war.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"The youngest genin is ten years old and has made his mark as someone not to be trifled with. It's quite surprising that you have a civilian-born with such strength with all the infamous clans in your village." The Kazekage said. "Who's his jounin-sensei?" He asked tentatively

"Senju Tsunade took him on as an apprentice." The Hokage said carefully. "He's adapted her fighting style into his own as you can see."

"We all can see your kin's teaching shine through in that match." The Tsuchikage was still looking at the destroyed ground and scarred wall. "He's putting them to good use I see."

"Tsunade's been busy." Tobirama said finally.

He'd been worried that Tsunade's brat would be trouble, another head case with a blood thirsty need for battle. He's still worried but Torito's relationship with his adopted brother seemed to ground him from being a potential defector. The kid was already joining the ranks as a head case anyways seeing his imaginary friend from when he was _five_ was still going around helping the little monster beat their enemies around so he can't help but worry.

He also saw that grin, the kid was a battle-born terror that he'd seen when the Warring States were still going on. Where children like him were growing up only knowing that it was kill or be killed, where a single decision could cost so many lives.

Where it was too painful to make any relations and it was those same relations that drove to kill in the first place.

Torito Yuu was a crafty little brat, a genius that hid under the radar that still stuck out in sight. He was loyal to only those that showed him loyalty back and he knows the moment everything that was meaningful to him was gone, there was going to be a dangerous missing-nin for the whole Elemental Nations.

This was exactly the reason why he wasn't choosing Danzou as the next Hokage. The coming generations are not bound to the emotionless ways of his time, where emotions really can kill you. It was ninjas like the brat that made him know that Hiruzen will be more befitting in the position, able to connect and guide than lead and rule.

He could feel it, his time was waning and he knew he wouldn't be around to see the end of this war. His brother would be happy though, to know that his village will stand strong and survive.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Congratulations, you all were picked as the best of the exams." The Hokage said. "You all are now chuunin and I'll be sharing with you information that some of you may know." The Hokage looked at me specifically.

Minato's whole team was promoted along with Nara Morino and I. Shin Ichimara lost a match and was currently healing from the effects of a poison a Suna-nin got him with and was too stubborn to call the match.

The Hokage was giving a summary of how fragile the peace was at and that we were expected to fight and do missions at a higher rank than expected once Konoha enters war-time with the other countries. Minato looked tensed but wasn't surprised seeing I was feeding him information of what I knew, while the other three were looking at a degree of shock. The peacock and Hiashi didn't expect the situation to be that bad while the Nara was surprised entirely, which was a little odd seeing he was a Nara.

We were released and Minato immediately tackled me when we were out of the Hokage's sights. "Yuu-chan, let's go celebrate! You too guys! And Nara-san too if you want!"

"I'm not spoiling myself any longer with you plebeians" The peacock said. "I'm a chuunin now and I refuse to spend anymore time with you any longer."

We all watched the Uchiha leave before Hiashi turned to us. "I'll be taking my leave too, I need to report to my father of my promotion."

"Later then." Minato said cheerily. "Nara-san?"

"How can you two be so calm about our situation?" Morino asked in disbelief. "How are you not concerned about our situation?"

Minato tightened his grip around me and I sighed. "We've known for a while." I told him and that seemed to shock the Nara more. "We've been preparing ourselves the moment we've known, why do you think my sensei was comfortable sending _me_ to the exams? I'm the farthest thing that any village wants to show off unless I was capable."

"Yuu-chan! You're too adorable not to show off!" Minato denied and I shook him off.

"Adorable isn't the thing that anybody wants to have in a pissing contest, don't you think." I exasperated.

"You made your opponents pissed themselves though."

I snorted. "Either way, unless puberty gives me a growth spurt I desperately need, I'll be shaming men left and right for being 'adorable' as you say."

I wasn't short, but I knew I wasn't going to be tall. And my refusal to cut my hair will leave me feminine looking until my teenage years and even then I'm not really hopeful of my masculinity. I've already accepted that part of myself and told myself it can't be helped but I was a male, dammit! The only thing I could do is assert my fucking power and make people fear me in trade of my cuteness.

And I had beautiful hair, kunoichi can go fuck themselves too if they ever tried to pull any excuses about their hair. I'll fight with it long and flowing and still beat the shit out of anybody that thinks they'll use it as my weakness.

I hate pissing contests, it was such a waste of time for little reward and reminds me of my lack of appearance as a male.

Fuckers.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"I still expect you to still practice you medical skills and work on expanding your reserves." Tsunade-sensei lectured. "You'll be pulled into being a medic as well so don't be surprised and throw a fit when you have to work with other people."

I nodded. "Of course." I ducked under her painful punch.

"Brat, at least look like you're going to miss me. I've spent a whole year teaching you the basics of everything I know, appreciate me more!" She ranted at me.

I just crossed my arms and looked away. "It's not like don't appreciate you." I mumbled.

I yelped feeling her yank me into her arms. "Don't worry, brat, even if you're a little bastard to teach, you're still cute and I'll miss you, you know? It's too bad you don't want to be a full medic, then I would be able to teach you how to give people real hell."

"I already give people hell and I do have a full license" I said muffled into her chest before struggling. "And let go, dammit! Put me down!"

"You know, most boys would be blushing up a storm." Sensei said disappointed. "I need to take you out drinking someday."

I growled at her. "Do I look like I want to lose brain cells? And there is no way I'm drinking with a person like you! I'm going to lose all of my money if I do!"

I gagged as she got me in a headlock. "Because you're so good with money that you'd make the perfect drinking buddy! Don't go dying off on me when you're out there alright?"

"I should be saying that to you!"

The tides of war were rearing back in full force, I was going to be officially part of the fight the moment I received this vest. Be on the same playing field as my brother who is adamant to fight for this village.

The anticipation is killing me.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I think this was a start of a hoarding problem. I just realized how much junk I have from my adventures from the other nations that I've collected. It was kind of embarrassing and it didn't take long before storage scrolls became my friends.

I collected a lot of books. Any kind of books, old lost manuscripts to journals to modern day books, didn't matter and I've read them all.

I've noticed that there were a lot of Fuyuchi books that I've obtained, books from the Fuyuchi family that studied anything and everything and written them down into their journals. I've collected literature that would make me a lot of money because of how rare or how famous the author's work was. The Warring Era was interesting and somehow not surprising that people would try to entertain themselves from death.

My favourites were the journals though, they were like shifting through my own memories but in form of ink and animal skin. In some way, it help me cope to read other people's lives, their aspirations, their hopes and dreams. It was easy for me to fill in some blanks through the experiences other deceased people.

I was starting to need it.

It suddenly became hard to be around people I've noticed. It was overwhelming and I begin to shake like I was afraid of something, like the world was be coming surreal. The memories were there too, making people appear in business suits than the usual wear of the warm Konoha weather, cold cement over the pathways, stone over wood.

It was becoming hard.

But it's not like I liked being in crowded places anyways nor did I actively went out to anywhere that's popular for the village to accumulate to. I don't walk through streets but above them and it's easy to avoid everyone seeing that I'm a chuunin now.

It was fine, I could live without my more favourable places like Akimichi's. It was easier seeing I cook and hunt for my own food anyways.

But that didn't stop Minato from trying.

I growled at the smiling blonde who was beaming at me. "It's not bad, Yuu-chan! You can't just live with dusty old books and no sunlight."

"I can certainly try." I twitched and swallowed at the constant brushing and touching as I was pulled through the streets.

It was definitely getting harder and I hated it. I wasn't anxious but for some reason I was, I felt like I needed to separate myself from these, these-

_Sheep._

The mindlessness and the chatter was grating on my nerves.

_Information moved them, whether it was true or not._

Their constant mingling was ringing throughout my head and it rubbed me wrong. I didn't like being here, I didn't like the touching and the fakes, liars, and-

_I could never hold down small talk with strangers, they were useless and pointless other than to make the money flow and support the bases of power._

_I was a killer, a hunter, a predator._

_Not some sheep that hid behind their shepherds and dogs._

My thoughts assembled and my body moved, moved away from the crowds to leave the mass of bodies that were suffocating me with pure irritation. I was furious, I didn't know why though but I knew that I will continue to hate people. Their masks were well worn for the day-to-day lives they lived and it frustrated me on how they could live so freely without care.

_It would be so easy to end it after all._

  
  


_-Line Break-_

The smell of blood permeated the air, the sounds of battle was predominant and the air was heavily saturated with chakra and rain.

I licked my lips facing off the Ame-nin in front of me, Kaito was at my side snarling and snapping at anyone looking at us. The giant lizard flared his bright pink feathers in a show of intimidation and I could feel my blood sing when tearing through the offending forces.

Blood stained up and down my person and it dripped down along my weapon to show I wasn't to be trifled with. That I would trample on them.

_Screams, faces, bodies littered the ground before me._

I swung down my bo-staff creating a wave of destruction.

_All of them never stood a chance against me._

I trapped them all in my genjutsu in psychedelic colours and confusion.

_Their blood bowed onto the floor knowing who was superior._

I unlatched my gun and-

_I was ruthless, I was merciless, I was quick to rain down death in an act of kindness._

The smell of gunpowder and ash was muted in the rain but the look of fear was all too prominent in the eyes of the enemy. Kaito snarled and purred at the same time as we advanced on the frozen enemies that wouldn't run. Couldn't run.

_But my missions came first, they were the reason why I could hunt after all._

"Why did you Ame-nin ambushed us?" I crouched down to their prone forms. "It wasn't very nice, you know?"

"W-we won't tell you a thing!"

I shrugged. "I don't care if you don't tell me a thing honestly." I looked down at the two. "But the higher ups will." Kaito growled softly while grinning cruelly. "I'll have to drag you both to our IT unit regardless anyways."

They both looked stunned as I made quick work of them and let Kaito drag them with the ninja wire I carry around. The great beast was quick to prance into the clearing where we left our comrades to recuperate and heal.

The rain didn't do anything to wash away my recent bloodbath, everybody here just stared at my with a degree of awe and fear. My high was now being weighed down from the reality of the situation and suddenly I didn't feel so powerful anymore.

Static filled my vision and blood, bodies, and screams-

"Yuu!" I looked up to a concern Dan. "Are you okay?"

I wasn't tired, my chakra levels were decent, and the enemy wasn't a threat anymore. "I don't know."

"Yuu?"

My comrades are safe, the enemy is down, I was alive.

But why did I feel so horrible? Why was I guilty? The blood on my hands were from people that tried to spill ours! It's what they get for trying to play the game so unprepared!

Visions of black and white flashed, they lied there in pools of their own-

"Yuu!"

_I was a hunter but didn't make killing any better. Every kill I made, I made sure to look in their eyes. To watch the life leave them to know that I did that, that their lives was taken by me and to remind myself I chose this path._

My eyes clenched at the creeping darkness, I held my head at the non-existent headache, and my breath was shallow from the tightness in my stomach.

_I chose this path. Every choice I make was a choice I will not regret. Regretting things was a waste of time, if I made a mistake, I will live with it. Making things complicated is unnecessary if we can keep it simple._

_I lived and let live. If others can't live with that then they'll die trying._

My eyes finally opened as Dan shook me harder and I shook myself from his grip. "'M fine." I internally wince at my slur. "I'll be fine."

I heard Dan sigh. "Tsunade is going to kill me, you know?"

"She'll get over it." I swallowed. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

"I think she would like her student mentally sound." Dan patted my head. "And less bloody." He wiped his hand on his vest.

I was okay, everyone was fine, and I just need to tend to my injuries before starting on the others.

Oh fuck, I actually lost a lot of blood, didn't I?

_I eventually learned to enjoy killing, enjoyed it with others that shared my sentiments._

_It was so easy after all._

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment below!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing from the last chapter, a major turning point in Yuu's life. The foreboded trigger.

I hate hospitals but they were necessary.

Still though, I was healed up and these medics are insistent on keeping me here. It was out of respect that I didn't snap or growl at them because I know they have enough of that from their other patients.

There was a nice wound on my side from a gash I don't remember receiving, the medics said I took a hit for one of my teammates before going off on a slaughter. Or, that's what the reports say.

I didn't like the fact that my mind blanked out on me from the initial start of the attack, all I remember was that I had to hunt down my offenders and drag the survivors to be questioned. My memories also overrode with the situation again but hopefully that won't happen again, it usually doesn't.

Kaito was purring in his cat-sized lizard form trying to comfort me, I liked the gesture even if he was just an illusion.

"Yuu-chan!"

I immediately put my hand up to stop my hopeless brother. "I love you and all but I'm not letting you jump me right now. I'm hurt." I said the last part a little sullen.

"Yuu-chan!" Minato cried. "I can't believe your patrol got ambushed and I wasn't there!"

"I'm actually happy you weren't there." I said to myself, I'd hate to see what I'd do if you were injured.

Minato just grabbed my arm and whined. "Yuu-chan!"

"Ah, I'm glad it's lively in here." I looked up to see a Yamanaka enter the room. "If it's not too much trouble I would like to ask a few questions about what happened. My name is Yamanaka Daisuke."

I nodded and Minato sat straight up. "I can't tell you much, I don't really remember much." I scratched my head looking away.

"That's fine, that's normal in a high stress situation." The Yamanaka said. "We will be going through the situation step-by-step, that usually helps."

I crossed my arms in thought. "I guess if it works."

"You were patrolling the borders, Katou Dan, your jounin commander, said that it was raining with limited vision but somehow you were able to defend against the ambush."

I closed my eyes remembering that and nodded. "I was looking out over the border, I remember the rain shifting oddly, and the colours of the trees weren't matching the rest of the forest."

Yamanaka just raised an eyebrow. "And then?"

"I tried signaling something was off but they were already attacking." I started fidgeting my hand. "I- I had a kunai digging into one of the Ame-nin's neck before I knew it."

"You don't remember what happened in between?"

I was getting nervous at my lack of memory. "Everyone got hit with something and I just had to move. I moved and-" I grasped my head at the oncoming headache. "I moved and I-"

Blood dripped off of my form, chakra sharpened at my finger tips and extended it to my weapon as I made a swift counter-attack against those who dared to lay a hand on my own.

Screams, they all screamed knowing I wouldn't let up on my attack. They scrambled to runaway but I wouldn't let them.

Kaito's claws tore through the ground where the offending attackers tried to run. His form was made very real as I let his claws harden, teeth sharpen as his being came to life.

"I killed all of them." I swallowed the dried spit at the back of my throat. "And I didn't hold back anything."

"You spared two though." Yamanaka said. "Apparently the ambush was to fully drag Konoha into the war entirely rather than standby as a neutral force. Ame and Iwa are in slight collaboration because of Iwa and Suna's rising struggle of resources at their borders." He said. "It's somewhat unknown why Iwa and Ame would try to drag us in but the assumption is that with war against us, the neighboring countries between us will have to ally with them or us if they wanted to survive."

"Politics." I growled out. "I hate politics." Yamanaka nodded at that.

"And with the alliances clear, it'll be easier to make bolder moves against each other without looking bad to the other major countries." Minato groaned. "And Yuu-chan was in the middle of it!"

I tried growling at his but remembering that awful night was weighing down on me again. The nausea was coming back and I was dizzy, Kaito was whining at me to respond but the darkness was creeping back up again.

I didn't fight it this time, I was in a safe area and nobody needed my help. I'll sleep this off and face it another time.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Will he be alright?" Minato asked seeing his brother pass out.

Daisuke just sighed. "Between him and the others? He's actually one of the better ones with his first kill, or kills. Memory lapses are normal along with nausea and black outs as you saw. I was surprised how cooperative he was with the questioning though."

"Yuu-chan is as cooperative as long there isn't any underhanded means." Minato shrugged. "He's pretty good at spotting people that do and he know it's standard procedure too."

Daisuke hummed at the information. "I heard he's not like that in the Academy though."

"Yuu-chan said the Academy was a formality that the clans used to show off." Minato said making Daisuke snort. "He's a lot more attentive with Tsunade-san because he's learning at a rate where she's more than happy to teach at. Despite Yuu-chan's eccentric style, he's a no-nonsense person and is happy to be direct if others are too."

"Huh, I'll file that away for future encounters." The platinum blonde said. "Anyways, I deem your brother well enough that he won't need a psyche evaluation for now. He'll be withdrawn before he'll be well so just be there for him, alright?"

Minato nodded vigorously. "Of course!"

But that didn't mean his worry went away. He's never seen Yuu-chan so afraid before, the air of being unsure and scared was so foreign to Minato that Yuu-chan actually looked like a ten year old boy. None of the guarded looks that he looked everything with suspicion or the confidence he had in his words, he was completely weakened by the experience he just went through.

Minato grasped his little brother's hand feeling the warmth that came from it. "I'm sorry I wasn't there but I'll be stronger for the next time."

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I rubbed the bandage on my cheek, the adhesive was itching and the cut under it was irritating. The same was for the bandaging on my side but that one hurt a lot, it stung with every movement and it itched bad.

It was a shame that it was discouraged to heal with chakra so often, or else the body wouldn't be able to heal as fast as it can by itself. I could heal these wounds faster than these medics can diagnose them.

Nothing was said about the repercussions of escaping the hospital though.

I was stalking through the rooftops to find a more suitable place to sleep, the smell of antiseptic, white walls, and the shouting of my neighbors were getting to me.

I was sitting on top of the Hokage Monument feeling the breeze, it was peaceful watching the village. I had the pillow from the hospital with me and I leaned into a boulder relaxing into it.

"Shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?" I growled lowly at Dan.

The older man sighed. "I'm surprised that mouth of yours hasn't gotten you into trouble yet."

"That's because I know how to stay out of it." I growled. "Why are you here?"

Dan just smiled and plopped himself next to me. "I came here to say thanks. For saving me."

I looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"You really don't remember?" Dan pointed to my wounded side. "If you didn't take that blow for me, I don't know if I would've survived."

I frowned. "But I'm alive, well, I hope I am. This is a weird fucking hell if I'm dead."

"The only reason you're alive is because of the way you hold your weapon." Dan informed me. "Your reverse grip absorbed majority of the blow before you struck back at the enemy. You would've bled to death before making it back to us."

Kaito cooed in my lap and I gave him a pat. "Then it's a good thing then, everybody walked away and we got the fuckers that jumped us. That's a win in my books."

"...I'd understand if I was talking to someone older but do you realize what you're saying?"

I glared at the man next to me. "Not everybody here growing up within this village is blind, and just because I was born a civilian doesn't mean I have the senses of one."

"I know, you're a chuunin at ten years old." Dan chuckled. "A scary little chuunin at that."

I waved him off. "Go write a gooey letter to sensei or something. Go away."

"I already did, I'm waiting for the gooey letter back."

I growled at him. "Shut up then."

_"Mother fucker, dammit, shit, now I owe the bastard money."_

_"Fuck! Why are we so violent? I can't get this shit out of my shirt!"_

It's not bad, other people went through the same thing I did. I wasn't any different than the man next who had a much higher kill count than I did. I'll be fine, I am fine compared to other nutcases here.

_"Next time, I'll show you how to really shoot this baby."_

Maybe I can spar with the others after I heal up, I wasn't fast or strong enough to stop that hit on me so I need to train to stop that from happening again. The only reason I seemed physically strong was because of my chakra control but in reality I was weak, I can't take a hit for shit so I need to be faster and defend better.

I wonder if Akio finally got that sword he wanted.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I was eating the offering that was given to me. Akimichi will always be the best bribe food anyone can offer me even if it was getting harder to walk into the restaurant.

"How come you didn't tell us you made chuunin?! And why am I still paying for you?!" Akio shouted.

"Why are you so loud?" I swallowed and took a sip of water. "What's wrong now?"

"We should be asking you that! We heard you got hurt on your last mission!" Aki stressed. "Badly hurt."

"I'm alive." I said blandly but I felt oddly flattered by their concern. "You're being stupid." I looked away from them.

"Translation: 'I'm fine guys, thanks for worrying about me.'" Tsume looked at me with a smirk. "Right?"

I felt heat rising to my face before eating. "Whatever."

"But still!" Akio continued. "I can't believed you didn't tell us about your promotion!"

"It wasn't really a fun time, the chuunin exams, I mean." I took another piece of meat. "I'd much rather had you guys to work with than the ones I was with."

"See?" Tsume pointed. "I told you he did care."

I bristled and glared at Ren prodding my injury. "You _are_ hurt. What exactly happened?"

I withheld my fidget as a chill went up my body, I guess I wasn't over what happened. "We were attacked, everybody sustained injuries but nobody died."

"What about the enemy-nin?" Akio urged.

My vision blurred and I grinded my chopsticks together. "Two were captured, I haven't heard anything concrete."

It was hard to keep still, hard to stay put, hard to answer their curiosities. The prickling sensation that made my hairs stand up and my toes curl made it feel like winter came calling within the heated restaurant.

Why were they asking so much?

Can't they see the blood? The blood that I spilt? I made the ground red and riddled with bodies and showed not mercy when they screamed-

I was startled hearing a chair being pulled up next to the booth we were in. I looked over to Sakumo-sensei giving us an easy smile as he sat next to us and stole a bite.

"Yo! I saw you guys through the window and thought I'd join you." The white-haired man pulled out a picture. "My little 'Kashi is bigger now, everyone here has met him so you should come by some time."

I took the picture and saw a crawling baby with his plush toys, his wispy white hair was sticking up like his father's and the dog in the picture looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. I gave back the photo pretending that it didn't made me feel better.

"It's not like I had the free time."

"Then I should catch you when you do then." He nodded to himself. "I'll ask Hokage-sama if you have free time next time."

I twitched. "Don't ask such a useless questions."

He tapped his finger on the table. "You need to relax more, why don't you go home? Minato-kun was looking for you earlier, apparently you've been giving him gray hairs with you disappearing from the hospital again."

"Yeah." I got up. "Thanks."

"It's no problem, your brother wants to talk to you too."

I blinked at before nodding. "I'll go find him then."

I'm okay. I'm fine. I just need a little more time.

And talk to nii-chan while I'm at it.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Yuu-chan!"

"I swear, I can't start a single conversation without you yelling my name." I grumbled entering the apartment.

"Why are you here?! You can't keep leaving the hospital whenever you like!" Minato despaired.

I shook my head. "I left a note."

"'I went out to eat' isn't a proper note!"

"But I let you know what I was doing." I frowned. "And I came home."

Minato sighed. "I want you to get better."

I looked down to the ground and shifted my feet. "Sorry." I twiddled my fingers nervously. "I didn't want to sleep alone, I haven't been sleeping well."

He stiffened and I let him dote on me. "You've been having nightmares?" Minato asked quietly.

"I wake up in cold sweat most nights." I started not looking at him. "The white walls bring me back too, it's easy to imagine everything when there's a blank canvas all around me."

I was startled when Minato ruffled my hair. "C'mon, go take a bath and go to sleep."

"I'm sorry." I said. "And thanks."

"Don't be sorry for anything, I'm happy that you talked to me." Minato smiled. "Everything's going to be fine, nii-chan's here!"

I blushed before fidgeting again. "C-can I sleep with you?" I swiveled my eyes to the side. "For tonight?"

I squeaked startled when Minato hugged me. "As many nights as you need, Yuu-chan."

I buried myself into his hug and felt warm. Against the cold chill back at the restaurant, Minato was warm like a sunny nap on a hill. I was safe and sound from all the noise, it was peaceful and I could sleep all day if I wanted.

Sleep sounds great right now.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

For the time being I got put on hospital duty, I was able to walk and use chakra so I was going to make myself useful. It was only a bonus that the medic-nin liked my method of keeping the more rowdy ninjas in bed, and the fact I was useful in the operating rooms.

I was currently fist deep in some guy's gut and sewing up his insides. As the one with the best chakra control, chakra strings and scalpels are easy to create and to operate at the moment's notice. I didn't like cutting people up but this was a necessity seeing the fucking hospital was so understaffed. It was a lot more easier to move around the place seeing I scared the overworked staffers and I had seniority for some reason.

Something about having Tsunade-sensei as a teacher or something. I certainly wasn't going to complain with my ten year old self.

But either way, I was never crowded and the patients that came and went learned to not to piss me off. It was almost relaxing if I didn't have to get my hands so bloody and not vent my frustrations actively.

"Torito-san, we can take over from here." I looked up to a couple of people entering the room. "There's another patient that's needing your attention in the other room."

Meaning they were bloody and dying from blood loss.

Fuck, how the hell did sensei do this? This was horrible and this was only the basic of the basics on being a medic. Stitching people up with chakra strings was no problem, broken bones is something I didn't really have to work with often, and stopping blood loss was no problem but it was still messy. I only had to worry about that part and let the others deal with the potential shock and any other complications.

The intermediate and expert levels of being a medic came with extracting foreign substances, usually poison, nerve damage and bacteria and others like it. I am definitely not cut out to be anything more than your basic combat medic in these kinds of situations. I would never have the patience or the discipline to do so.

Having someone else's life at your hands, to keep them alive, was a stress I wouldn't be able to handle. I was a killer first. I would end more lives faster than I could save one.

"Yuu-chan!" I heard Akio called out happily before actually looking at me. "Why are you bloody?!"

"Busy." I swiftly walked passed him.

I did not enjoy working in the hospital.

I'll stick to killing.

_It's easier after all._

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed! Review!


	11. Chapter 11

I growled at Katou Dan's chatter. "Leave me alone! Why are you following me?!"

"C'mon! We can go see my little sister and my little niece!"

"Fuck off, you fucking weirdo!" I gathered chakra into my legs and launched myself through the window and promptly exiting the Hokage's Tower from quite high up. It was child's play to direct wind chakra around me for a softer landing.

"You shouldn't curse, Yuu-chan!"

It's been almost two years since the incident and everything is back to normal, though Katou Dan is more clingy like Minato was. I've been on more missions with higher risks that made me face combat more often. Due to my performance on my first encounter, I was deemed reliable to be part of teams that will face enemy contact than not.

There were plenty of other ninjas with more skills and experience but I was more of a power play for the village. Showing off a little ten year old that can out smart and kill people two to three times my age boosted confidence in clientele and told the hostile countries to fuck off at the same time.

But the primary reason was to show that despite Nidaime's death, Konoha wasn't weakening any time soon.

I wasn't close to the Second, I barely saw him as my head commander but I knew he was someone to respect and not to piss off too much regardless. My last respectable memory of the Second was him giving my chuunin vest. Sensei was devastated but Dan was able to keep her on her feet, the gooey couple will be getting married soon enough.

She came back being known as the greatest medic-nin for finding majority of the antidotes for Chiyo of Sunagakure's poisons and one of the Legendary Sannin after fighting the fucker Hanzou that was in charge Amegakure.

I was still sore from that ambush.

But Tsunade-sensei was still herself in the end, a little more arrogant but still herself. She was concern about my well being but the moment she sent Dan my way was when I stopped caring about hers. The fucking crazy bitch sends her weirdo of a fiance to drag me back to 'dinner' where it's really a gambling fest for her.

Other than that, Konoha's part of the war is just settling skirmishes along the border after the thing with Hanzou. The moment I learned he had Salamanders as his summons, a little part of me wanted to signed the Lizards to show that I had _real _reptiles than those fake knock offs.

"Ah! Yuu-chan!"

I tensed before looking at Akio running up, a lot of genin got field promotions that included Akio's team and Shikaku's too. It was also another power play but that didn't mean they didn't deserve it, they just got it easier without the hassle of tests and paperwork. Scarlet was becoming acceptable but she and Minato are getting too close for my liking.

She knows I don't approve but she has yet to try and prove herself worthy. I never expected her to be such a coward, if she doesn't step up and stop running away I'll never approve of her.

"Wait! Yuu-chan! Don't walk away from me!"

I twitched. "Why are you bothering me?"

"C'mon, Yuu-chan! We wanted to invite you to dinner!" Akio clung on me. "You been on mission after mission so I'm seizing the chance now to drag you to socialize!"

I glowered at him. "If that weirdo is there, it's your head."

"Weirdo? Are you being stalked again?"

"Sensei's fiance."

"I can't believe you get away with calling him that." Akio led me down to an out-of-the-way alley. "Tsunade-sama is scary."

My breath escaped me, I didn't realize I was holding it in, thank god it was night time. Crowds were becoming absolutely intolerable with each passing day. I try to up my tolerance but nothing was working.

I shrugged. "I've faced scarier."

"You mean you can imagine scarier." Akio pushed me into a building. "You're getting more creative with your genjutsu, you've made ninja wary of the colours pink and purple. Why couldn't you choose red or something? It's not manly to tense at the colour pink."

"Nothing's scarier than a children's book coming to life." I said thinking about my latest victim. "Ninjas are too desensitized to the usual blood and gore but not to brightly coloured animals with teeth."

"Kaito is still your beloved genjutsu I see, have you thought about creating another like him?" Akio asked.

"No, and there's no point anyways, I don't have the reserves to keep another like Kaito around." I said and I heard a collective sigh of relief by the tables next to us. "And Kaito is anything I want him to be."

"Which brings us the real reason of this gathering!"

I jumped as hearing party poppers going off as everybody appeared in a blur into sight. I hit the nearest offender, Akio, into the far wall with my tonfa out of instinct.

"Ha! Pay up!" I heard somebody behind me shout.

"Goddammit."

I growled at my friends and readied myself. "What's going on?"

"C-c'mon, Yuu." Inoichi put his hands up in defense. "We all gather to celebrate your first entry in the bingo book! See?" He shoved a bingo book in my face. "A B-rank too!"

I snorted seeing it was the Iwa version. "The fuckers listed a twelve year old as a B-Rank?"

"They listed a _chuunin_ with A-Rank genjutsu skills that has the super strength of the great Senju Tsunade who is part of the Sannin." Inoichi listed off. "I think think your abilities are aptly ranked, I think the only reason why you're not ranked higher is because of experience and lack of form in actual combat."

I read my basic entry and was surprised that they had a decent picture of me. Apparently I was a little shit on their side of the borders when they nicknamed me 'Walking Nightmare.' I was almost always stationed where Iwa and Ame are because of my ability to see through the rain and easily cut through water and earth jutsus.

Plus my medic training comes in handy for more external injuries Iwa and Ame inflicts compare to the constant poisonings Suna likes to employ. It's a good thing to because I heard it was a bitch to fight Suna-nin, poison warfare is not a battle I'm willing to fight. I heard that Sakumo was doing fine and making his name there.

"You're already making waves throughout the nations." The older Yamanaka patted me on the back.

"Th-that should be my line." Akio groaned. "Wh-why did you have to hit so hard?"

I sat down in a chair offered to me. "What is this place?"

"It's a bar that serves good food." Shikaku slipped next to me. "It was a quiet place, congrats on getting on someone's shit list."

"Which one?" I joked. "How's the Intelligence Department treating you?"

"Some days I want to strangle you while others I wonder why you're not there doing the paperwork you created." He glowered. "The only good thing you provided was your code you made back at the Academy. How bored were you to create a written code that separates the phonetic sounds of the alphabet?"

Kaito snickered within me and I gave him a blank face. "To where I was dreaming about it." Literally.

Ren slid to the other seat next to me. "He's a genius that was a little shit back at the Academy. He slid through the Academy with silent threats of torment and none of the chuunin instructors were willing to see that he was smart over the fact that he's a terror."

"I regret nothing." I took a drink of my water after sniffing for alcohol. "The Academy was a special torture for me too."

"That's because you would've disappointed Minato if you got violent." Ren said through my glare. "You both got brother complexes so bad that it's both endearing and gag-inducing to watch."

I blushed and growled at him. "Nii-chan and I care for each other, what's wrong with that?"

"It's to the point where people are wondering if it's 'more than brothers' when it comes to you two."

I let those words sinking in before I glared at the sudden silent room letting my killing intent leek and fill the room. I let every god damn shinobi in the bar and within the vicinity that was listening in just what I thought about their twisted imagination.

"Run." I rumbled out a growl. "I'll let you all run now."

I hunted every single one of them, the Hokage let me off lightly too seeing I just used a very light genjutsu and beating on the damn, sick perverts. Said that the jounin should've been able to out run a young chuunin.

A Shadow Clone was put in place of my punishment, the headache was going to be a bitch but there was no way in any fucking hell was I going to spend several days doing paperwork. I may be good at it but I fucking hated it.

I still find it funny that the esteemed head commander himself didn't figure out that trick. Anything desk-job related I always left one to deal with the paperwork, nobody never noticed it being a clone so I kept it to myself. Minato was the one that taught me the jutsu after his pervert sensei did, said that it was safer to do his fuuin experiments while still receiving the experience.

Come to think of it, Minato has been doing the same thing too. We may not be blood-brothers but it's obvious that we definitely have the same brains and common sense out of all these nimrods.

Perverted nimrods.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"So you're almost thirteen now."

I looked at Minato strangely. "Yeah?"

"And you're finally coming into your teenage years."

"You're halfway done, don't make me jealous." I huffed.

Minato ignored me. "And I know Tsunade-sama already gave you 'The Talk' seeing you're medically trained in the basics."

I coughed and spit out my drink. "W-what are you going on about?!" I growled at him.

"But obviously your lack of socializing left you very unaware of how relationships work." Minato continued.

"I am not having this conversation with you!" I tried to runaway but Minato jumped me to the ground pinning me on my back. "Get off!"

"I just want you to know that all girls are harpies and all guys are pigs, with the exception of our friends of course." Minato said seriously. "And if any person catches your interest, you have to let me know. I'll make quick work of them and reveal their true nature and see if they're worthy of you!"

I blushed at his implication and struggled. "I'm not dating anyone any time soon, you idiot! I'm not interested and I highly doubt that anyone will take an interest in me like that either."

"What do you mean by that? You're coming into your body and you've been turning a lot of heads your way."

I scoffed. "Yeah, because they want to know if I'm pissed off or not and want to know when the genjutsu is coming."

Minato shook his head. "No! People are taking an interest in you as a potential partner!" He stressed. "Both male and female within the shinobi ranks and civilians that first see you are admiring you because you're cute!"

"That's before they realize I'm a violent little fucker." I dismissed. "And I don't like people period, nii-chan, be thankful that my love is only extended to you."

"Which is why I'm trying to protect your heart from being hurt!" Minato looked determined. "Because you're going to find someone you will love more than me!"

I flustered at his declaration. "And what makes you think someone is strong enough to handle me? I'm not exactly an easy person to deal with."

"You're too hard on yourself." Minato frowned. "You're incredibly cute for one and once people get to know you they realize that you're actually very sweet when-"

"Shut up!" I snapped but my red face was still there. "There's still a matter of me actually looking for a partner and I'm not searching anyone, _ever._"

"You're still young and so are your friends." Minato insisted. "I know you're comfortable with Ren-kun and Akio-kun is very willing to-"

I snarled at him increasing my struggling. "I will not listen to your ramblings!"

I may look appealing to the eye but people are quick to find out how unappealing I can get. I really couldn't care less about finding a partner to be gooey with like sensei or Minato's deep-seeded crush and I wasn't about to chain myself to another person's expectations because I wasn't 'perfect'.

As a selfish person, I knew what people aren't willing to give up the comforts of life for another person easily. That's why there were qualifications that each person seeks out for maximum compatibility, it was an easy task for some and a whole lot harder for others.

Which reminds me that I need to see if Scarlet is finally qualified, I know she knows she needs to pick a fight with me if she ever wants to get to the next step. The coward's lucky that I've been busy.

But first, I need to get Minato off of me.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I was lounging on the couch by the mission hall being stared at by the genin that were there too. Everybody else was ignoring me and was more willing to swiftly stay out of my way out of preservation of their sanity.

"Torito Yuu." I looked up to Scarlet's serious face. "I believe we have some things we need to settle."

Scarlet has been making a name for her self like I was. Bloody Death was a much more fitting name than the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero back at the Academy. Her red hair along with her kenjutsu and ninjutsu styles has brought attention to her for her enemy's swift demise and beauty of her form. That was all topped with her fuinjutsu that her fallen clan was famous for.

I smirked. "Finally, I've been waiting for you to come out and say that. You've been hiding too long for my liking and your name would've been changed to coward permanently." I sneered.

Her face just reddened. "It's not like you're an easy person to find!"

"And you're too quick to avoid any contact with me since I got chuunin" I raised my tonfas readying myself. "Are you that afraid of a thirteen year old or are you that pathetic?"

The swift unsheathing of her blade sounded in front of me and Kaito's excitement rose within me. "You're a brat that needs to know his place!"

"And you're going to be just another harpy if you don't shape up!" I came crashing down to her. "Coward!"

Scarlet struck back but she quickly took out a scroll. "You fucking little shit!"

"Come here so I can cave your face in!" I snarled at her retreating form. "I'll show you what happens for even _thinking _you have a chance with my nii-chan with that kind of cowardice!"

We both disappeared leaving a wake of betting ninjas after we blew a hole in the Hokage's Tower. The tower needs new sealing if it let us break it now, and it desperately needed to be redecorated anyways.

And like fuck I'll let the harpy win a fight against me, I've trained hard with my physical strength and like hell I was going to let Scarlet beat me around. Her overly large reserves made nearly all of my genjutsu obsolete, but that only means I get to pull the really fun ones out on her.

She will handle it if it meant getting a chance with nii-chan.

I will not be one to be trifled with, especially when it could hurt my brother.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I was grinning in the hospital bed, I won the fight but Scarlet got me real good and nearly cut off my left arm. The medic-nin was horrified when I came in with the upper arm mangled and half healed with a beaten red head on my back. She pulled a surprise kenjutsu move that launched towards me and I paid the price of underestimating her for one bit.

My arm was going to fully recover and sped up my healing with my own jutsu for this once seeing I didn't get hurt during a mission. I wasn't about to waste time in a hospital bed when I could be beating more Ame and Iwa fuckers that still want to try me.

The scarring will be bad but I didn't really care, it meant Scarlet was strong enough to at least cripple an enemy as strong as me when the time comes. And she was still learning her form so she'll get stronger, much stronger with her annoying fuuinjutsu.

I was glad I got the basics down with Minato or I would've been horribly screwed and cut up. I almost got caught in her shit nearly getting paralyzed in place, Kaito would've thrown a fit if I did.

God, she was going to be my sister-in-law. There was no way in hell I'll call her nee-chan anytime soon, she's still annoying and I'm not giving her that pleasure.

Sniffling sounded from the bed across from me and groaned. "Are you really crying? I'm above my age group so did you really think I would let anyone beat me?" I facepalmed at her teary face. "And I'm not heartless, Scarlet, I'm just not a nice person."

"Wh-what are you talking about?" The Uzumaki was confused.

I crossed my arms and glared at her. "You're acceptable, but I expect you to keep getting stronger."

She sniffled again and wiped her tears letting my words sink in. "Y-you mean that-"

"Don't say it." I hissed at her. "My nii-chan only deserves someone that can watch his back and stand as his equal. You're lucky that out of all the females flocking to nii-chan, you at least are competent in being a real kunoichi than the harpies that try to sink their claws in."

Her eyes started to tear up again. "I thought you hated me! I like Minato-kun a lot and I thought I would never be able to be with him because of you!"

I narrowed my eyes. "You still have a lot to do before you can 'be with him', I'm watching you. And for god's sake! Stop crying!"

"I'm so happy though!" She wailed loudly. "I finally see why Minato-kun keeps you above everyone else, you're a god damn tsundere with a huge-ass brother complex!"

"What?!" I snarled at her.

She threw her pillow at me and looked angry. "It's always 'Yuu-chan this' and 'Yuu-chan that'! He never talks about anything else to where I thought he was gay for you! On top of that, I thought you were actually gay for him too with how possessive you were around me!"

I blushed and threw the cotton bag back to her. "You are a sick pervert too! And of course nii-chan will talk about me, I'm his brother! _Brother!_" I threw a scalpel I pinched from a nearby tray. "You should be honoured that I'm still willing to let you be even _near_ my nii-chan! I'll give you hell for thinking that at all!"

"W-wait!"

I chased after the fleeing red head and zoomed through the window she jumped out of. She wasn't part of the sick group of perverts I rained down on so I there was no reason for me to feel guilty the next time Minato saw us together as I beat her black and blue.

It was training after all, Minato still chose her as his partner throughout the years so it's my job to keep her in shape. There is no way I'm calling her nee-chan if she can't keep up with the program, she can't die and break my nii-chan's heart because of her lack of strength.

_"I'm sorry."_

_"Move on and fly higher."_

_"You're free, remember that."_

I blinked away the tears as memories rose from the haze, nii-chan only held my love because he's strong and will become stronger than anyone else. He'll survive the strongest storms and the shattering nights that'll come.

He has to.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a little more mature for some people. Nothing explicit but a warning just in case.

Sweat trickled down my face and neck and it stung my eyes as I concentrated at the body in front of me. The feeling of netting up poison in with the water on hand was extremely difficult but doable for me if I focused enough with the threat of having this guy die because I wasn't good enough. My chakra clumped up the poison as my hand pressed against this guy's chest before I pulled away revealing the black ooze within the ball of water.

The war was at its stopping point but the lingering poison traps around the Suna borders were becoming taxing to the patrols. The dust storms blowing in from their side hid the traps very well and more poison specialists were needed. Tsunade-sensei forced me to learn how to remove poison because out of all the medic-nin available, I would be able to learn and employ it the fastest.

It was fucking hard. Water was the exact opposite of my primary nature and it exhausted me to even hold the damn ball of liquid. There was also the fact that the organs were delicate and the poison was like a sludge that needed to be scrubbed off.

"Torito-san, here's the next tub of water."

Fuck me, this was horrible, but I couldn't let this guy die. He was a comrade and the only people that can die by my hands were the enemy. I will only have enemy blood on my hands, I will not have him the first to die because I failed.

I fucking hate being a medic, sensei can go fuck herself if she thinks I'll work in a hospital like this. Again, how she could deal with the stress of having someone's life in her hands was beyond me. The nightmares will be worse if I did fail, I rather take what I have than drive myself even more crazier than I already am getting.

How the hell did the medics here last for so long? I was already on my second chakra pill and my mental focus was waning. I could probably go for another few hours before I lose focus completely but this was nearly an everyday thing. The council should've approved sensei's proposal, the medics here will die of over-exertion and chakra exhaustion before stepping onto the field.

"Yuu-chan? How long have you been here?" Sensei came stomping in. "Why haven't you been relieved?"

I grunted before pulling out more poison. "I told them not to disturb me if it didn't pertain to the matter at hand."

"You're exhausting yourself! Go home and eat!" She looked around me and started yelling at the staff around me. "Where are the others that are qualified to operate? I know there should be one or two more here."

"Th-they all are recovering at the moment, Tsunade-sama." A quivering nurse said. "T-torito-san is the only one who wouldn't take a break."

Irritation built up in me and I huffed at sensei's glare. "I'll finish up after this one."

"You're finishing up now." She shoved me away from the water bucket. "I'll take over, you go home."

Seeing her easily take the water and resumed the operating process made me respect her more after experiencing this myself. I will never be a lifesaver, the medic that sensei wants as a protege to continue her work is still somewhere out there. I was not meant to heal others the way she does, I was a killer through and through.

But I will be a killer that'll keep her safe, her and all the ones I call my own.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

The war ended, everyone was celebrating and I was still on a mission gasping for air from a punctured lung. I was healing it already but the damn Ame-nin was persistent in tracking me down after shooting an arrow from the tallest treetop that didn't fit in my vision.

"C'mon, you little brat! What happened to your blood lust? Did you turn tail after getting hurt? Did you like having your gut bleed out? Like you did to all my other friends?!"

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, I was already putting together my bo-staff and detaching my beloved gun. I needed to go back to Io-san to make me a separate weapons of the tonfas and a gun. The bo-staff was unused and redundant for me, I hardly use that form if at all and I want it customized too.

"How are you so calm?" I looked up to Nara Morino. "You're severely hurt and you look like you're playing with a child." He whispered in slight fear of the situation.

The Nara came a long way from the chuunin exams from those years ago, his other teammate was still a bitter genin but is doing well in helping the village. He's far from the closest thing in terms of a front-liner but his tactics and strategy helped in the field and as support as well.

"Because the fucker is a child." I readied my gun and aimed. "He may got a hit in but I'm not going to cry over something small."

He looked at me with disbelief. "You took out the arrow and coughed up a lot of blood, that blood pill you took won't do you any good in a few minutes." He reminded me. "Even if you're good with healing jutsus, you still have a punctured lung."

I scoffed. "You underestimate my skill." I took the shot and watched the Ame-nin's head jerk and his whole body fall over with a bang. "Yeah, my crazy-ass sensei will keep me in a hospital bed until I'm fully cleared but I know my own body to heal it enough where I'll survive."

"But still!" He looked frustrated. "_We're _hurt and cornered, there's about two more Ame-nin out there and we don't even know if the others are alright!" He hissed quietly. "Unless we get help, we won't able to do anything!"

I looked at him blankly before giving an easy grin. "You obviously don't know much about me, despite the few missions we were on together, I remember them being all boring with nothing going on." I looked him in the eyes and continued. "I'll show you exactly why Ame-nin hate me for a good reason."

The tallest tree was my target, through the rain and fog, I could see the beige speck behind the dull leaves. My eyes sharpened automatically and from here I could see him widen his own in fear. The trembling body was all I need to know that he knew what was coming.

It was another moment of watching a burning body combust and fall from a such great height that my own temporary partner was shaking at the sight. I looked down at my ruined gun and sighed at its unusable appearance. The combination of wind and fire chakra didn't mix well but it got the job done, even if my hand is severely burned but I could still move it normally.

"How?" I heard his fear quiver with his voice. "How can you kill so easily? Like they're just animals that need to be put down?"

I paused and glanced at him. "Because they are." I said bluntly. "I'm the hunter and they're the game I need to hunt if I want to survive."

"What?!"

I looked at him blankly. "Tell me, do you like our teammates?"

"Well, not exactly but their our guys-"

"Exactly, do you like the Ame-nin?"

"No! But-"

"The Ame-nin are hunting us back." I cut him off again. "It's not fun to see our side get hurt, to watch them suffer, to watch them die."

_"We have to strike first, always strike first. He's an example if we don't and when we don't we will strike viciously back."_

_"Look at you, next time I wonder if you'll even come back with the same clothes if you keep ruining your uniform."_

My eyes were hooded as I put away the obsolete junk in a pocket and sent a wave of chakra out of my body. The world around me rippled and warped and Kaito seemed to stepped out of the shadows in his human form with a playful smirk gracing his face.

"It's about time you gave me the ability to talk." Kaito ambled up to us. "I like tearing things apart but having a friendly banter is nice on our down time, you know?"

"W-what? Who's he?"

I just smiled at the Nara and pulled him along. "Kaito, my best friend." I started walking in a direction. "C'mon, we still have one more to hunt down and we've got back up."

The Nara was going to see what kind of a nightmare I was to the enemy, show him what kind of person I was when on the battlefield. I was a cruel hunter after all, trapping my targets to let them know I was coming. Terrorize them from sheer foreboding alone.

A little part of me wants to join the IT department but I was too fond of the sky to stay underground everyday for too long.

It's no fun hiding after all.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

I stared at the poofy, white haired kid that was Sakumo-sensei's three year old child. The kid stared back for a while before blushing and looking away. I tilted my head in question and from beside us we heard coughing taking our attention away from each other.

"I see you finally met my son, Yuu-chan." Sakumo-sensei slid next to his much younger clone. "This is Hatake Kakashi, Kakashi, this is Torito Yuu I told you about. From the bingo book?"

The kid blushed again. "He's prettier than in the books."

"Isn't he?" Sakumo-sensei nodded. "Sorry to ask you of this so suddenly."

I waved him off. "Your wife is important too, Tsunade-sensei is waiting."

"Thank you, and be good for Yuu-chan alright?" And he left in a blur before any of us said anything.

"Yuu-san?" I glanced at him in attention. "Will okaa-san be alright?"

I looked at him before sighing through my nose. "Let's have a seat inside, you ate already right?"

Kakashi nodded. "We had miso soup, rice, and fish."

"Then we'll talk in the living room."

The living room was large, it was massively spacious but small at the same time. It was filled with photos, books, and a couch which I occupied quickly while beckoning to Kakashi to do the same. The little guy climbed up looking old with that sad look on his face.

"Yuu-san?"

"I won't lie, your mom has an unknown illness and it's evolving faster than we can study it properly." I told him straight up.

His shoulders sagged and I could see his eyes watered slowly. "So she'll die?"

I stared at him for a bit before speaking up again. "We've been keeping her somewhat healthy by fighting off the symptoms as best we can. Your mom is fighting to stay alive too but if we can't find a working cure, she'll be living from her bed depending how bad it gets."

"But she won't be happy that way." Kakashi looked even more saddened. "Okaa-san likes to garden and go for walks out in the village."

I pat his head. "But I'm sure above all else, you and your otou-san makes her even happier. If it ever does get to that point, don't make her stop smiling."

"But I want okaa-san to stay alive!" Kakashi said frustrated. "Otou-san is sad because okaa-san is sick and I want my okaa-san to stay with us!"

I awkwardly pulled the crying boy to my side letting him lean into me. "Don't cry for her, she's still alive, right? Make her happy, don't make her sad by being sad, show her that she made _you_ happy even if she couldn't do much."

_"I made a picture for you, big brother!"_

_"Your hair is so pretty! Here, I even put flowers too!"_

_"It's like sleeping right, big brother? Hold my hand when I do?"_

_"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that you had to watch her go."_

I brushed my hand in his hair, the dull ache of watching a loved one slip away was excruciating. These memories were showing me things that made me afraid of experiencing them again and watching this kid was pulling at strings I didn't even know I had in my heart.

The kid climb on to my chest as he clung onto my neck, I laid flat on my back to get comfortable on the couch. It's not like I was going anywhere and the kid was doing me a favour of not losing his head like every other brat. I'll let him sleep on me if it meant sleep myself, I was banned from missions for a while after the last one with the arrow anyways. The fucker.

I glared at the added weight of Kaito in his cat-sized lizard form besides the kid. Kaito just stuck out his tongue at me and radiate chakra to lull all of us to sleep. It was cold that night so I couldn't complain.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Nii-san, what are you making?"

I stirred the pot sleepily. "Rabbit stew."

"Where'd you get the rabbit? I'm pretty sure we don't have any in the fridge."

"I hunted one." I replied.

"But how?"

"I sent a clone."

"Clone? But aren't they just illusionary?"

"A Shadow Clone, they're solid and functional like you and me."

Kakashi scrunched up his face in thought. "Sounds like it takes a lot of chakra."

I nodded. "It does, about a quarter of my chakra. It's a dangerous jutsu to use because of the amount of chakra it takes so if you ever learn it, be careful with it."

Kakashi clung to my leg. "You really think I'll learn a jutsu like that?" His eyes shined.

"You'll learn a whole bunch of jutsus like it if you're determined enough." I took a taste test before lowing the heat. "Can you set the silverware on the table? And where are the plates?"

"My cute little brother looks so domesticated." I twitched at Minato's voice. "This is the image that I see when I think about someone taking you away!"

"What?!" Kakashi squawked. "But I like nii-san! I just met him!"

"Right? Right?" Minato took Kakashi's little hands and held them close while crouching to his height. "One day someone is going to whisk Yuu-chan away and they might hurt him! We have to protect him when that happens."

The stew filled bowls were down on the table and I gave an irritated glare. "Don't fill the kid's head with nonsense, nii-chan." I sat down myself. "Kakashi, eat up before it gets cold, your otou-san and okaa-san probably would like something to eat besides the crappy hospital food they have over there. We want to make sure the rest is still warm too when it reaches them."

I ate sluggishly watching the kid nod and start eating. I was still hurt seeing a puncture lung isn't something that can just be heal, the organ was delicate so actual surgery had to be conducted to keep it functioning properly. It sucked being on medical probation but what can I do?

I twitched again feeling Minato stare holes in me. "What?" I growled at him.

"You're surprisingly good with kids." He said looking impressed. "I thought you would've rejected Sakumo-san's favour when he came over."

I waved him off. "I owed him one and Kakashi is smarter than the other brats I see and saw as a collective."

"Still though, I'm surprised how good you are with him." Minato looked at me with a smile. "For a brat you were yourself, you've calmed down a lot too."

"There was nothing for me to do when we were younger, I'm still the same person I was back then." I gave him an irritated looked.

And I was, nearly a decade since I first awakened that one morning and I haven't changed much. I was still a violent fuck with sentimental feelings that grew over the years but nobody could say there was a noticeable change in me that they can point out physically and mentally.

If any, the years just fed to my usual habits letting them linger and grow. Any habits that did appear were just branches of my violent and bitter self that only grew because I got attached to something. My antisocial self was a possessive little shit, when it latches onto something, it doesn't let go no matter how much I try to pull away.

So I let that attachment leech to me. I let it grow and made it a reason for me to get stronger fast, made it a reason for me to stay in this village.

This village full of sheep.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

"Hey, wanna fuck later?"

The immediate result of that conversation had the teen kicked into the tree behind him. I continued on exploring Yugakure as my jounin commander finished business with the leader of the village in its transformation into a more touristy village. The village as a whole had a problem with facing difficult problems face to face so this was their 'out' from it.

The village just had a series of spineless leaders and they were being taken advantage of by Konoha quickly. Hot springs were a good attraction and Konoha wanted to get some of that money it was bringing in.

"I like them feisty, you know? That murderous look actually makes you look fucking ho-"

I gave another kick at this perverted stalker. "Leave me alone." I growled at him.

The silver haired teen purred. "I love it when you look like you want to fucking kill me, I bet blood is a good look on you too." He got up close to me again. "Want to go find some bitches to slaughter? It'll be our first date."

Kunai immediately was at his neck but only enough to draw blood. "I'll make _art_ on these pavements if you don't fuck off and leave me alone."

The taller teen just purred. "Why don't you do it with me then? This shitty village is pussying out and I bet we'll make a Jashin-damn pair in setting this shitty village straight."

I just struck and left the stalker hanging with bloody kunai impaling him to another tree. The teen has survived my more fatal attacks so far, leaving one in his neck wouldn't kill him.

And if it did, who the fuck cared?

The other Yu-nin looking hopeful at his death so I'm easily covered by his own turning their backs to him. The fucking pig hasn't left me alone since I stepped foot in the village.

"I never knew you were fucking kinky." I clawed at him with chakra nails at his voice. "I fucking bet you're a screamer, more than willing to be my fucking bitch after I'm through with you."

I slashed down at his arms and then his chest letting blood trickle down my own arms. "You can go fuck yourself with a god damn butter knife while I rip your eyes and and shove them down your throat so you can watch me tear out your entrails _piece by piece!" _I snarled actually going for his eyes but he moved away quickly before I got reach him.

"I was right, blood does look fucking good on you!"

I kicked him, not holding anything back. I watched him fly away with false hope that the fucker would leave me alone. I never met such a forward stalker before, and one that lives through my lashings.

"God damn! I hope the bastard is actually dead from that!"

"He has to be dead, he can't come back from that."

"The fucking leaf is terrifying."

The crowd parted as I stalked through the path. Both civilian and ninja alike gave me nervous glances seeing the blood on me but I paid no mind as I went back to the hotel we were staying at. Lucky for me that the receptionist was used to the sight of blood and just told me to take a bath in the hot springs

Told me to not track any of it to my rooms, got to love civilians that work with ninjas.

"Who the hell did you kill? We're on a diplomatic mission."

I settled in the hot water. "A pig, a pig that I hope is dead."

Shikaku sighed. "We want their money, you know?"

"And I'm pretty sure that this village wants the pig dead too." I grumbled letting the blood dissolve into the water. "They'll be more than happy to give us more if we got rid of him."

My hand brushed through my hair letting it soak thoroughly, after this, I'll need to take a proper shower to get all the dirt out. I even got new clothes and other luxuries seeing this was the first mission I had going out of the borders since the war. I swallowed my anxiety through the crowds, it was easy seeing all these faces were unfamiliar.

Even easier seeing bookstores are still not a popular spot to crowd.

"You've been extremely busy throughout the war I see."

I looked up to Shikaku's inquiry as he stared at my scars. "It's not a big deal, sensei's beatings and medical training hurt more than what the fuckers were able to get in. And the bad looking ones aren't from them either."

"Yeah, I heard that the one from your left arm was from Uzumaki-san." I heard him say. "Heard that you both went at it for no particular reason either."

"I was testing her." I said simply before changing the topic. "I heard that you were making jounin soon."

The Nara sighed. "Yeah, it's a pain. I have to because I'm the next clan heir, if not, I would've stayed as a career chuunin"

I snorted. "If the Hokage didn't promoted you to one anyways. Your brain of yours is valuable to him."

"And I wonder why you're not getting promoted." Shikaku looked at me. "You have both brains and power to be one and knock me off that list."

Yes, that was true. I was qualified to be promoted to jounin with my knowledge and skills and it wasn't hard for me to take charge of a squad. I got people out alive and I accomplish my missions successfully even if I hated diplomatic missions. It wasn't hard for me to fall back into the once-upon-a-time haze when I was on a mission.

"I'm unstable." I smiled at him. "No need a young shinobi going power hungry with all the things that will open up to him once I get the jounin clearance."

"You don't even take advantage of your chuunin one." Shikaku looked irritated. "Yeah, you got your chakra books but you never touched any ninjutsu or even the kinjutsu at all. In fact, most of the time you only go to the library is to sleep most of the time." He huffed. "Maybe some other documents as well but they were harmless."

"I'm a flight risk."

Shikaku was startled. "What?"

"I'm a flight risk." I looked him into his eyes. "I'm intolerant of people and relationships with the people I do tolerate are weak. The one person they can hold leverage against me is already beloved by both civilian and shinobi and it doesn't hurt that he's the apple of everyone's eyes of our generation, especially that I'm more willing to listen to him than our own Hokage.

"Nidiame was rightly suspicious of me and his thoughts were passed down to those that were listening with fervent ears." I took the fringes of my hair in my fingers bitterly. "I'm unstable, despite them scouting _me _out, they still deemed me mentally fit to join the ranks. Those people on their pedestals seem to forget that their age to thrive is dead, all they're doing is clinging onto the past that will never come."

Shikaku looked at me in surprise, at my unusual bitter, self-loathing. "You're not happy with the current council."

"Just you watch." I warned. "It didn't take me long to see that possessive man try to manipulate from the shadows. Now that Nidiame is gone, he's going to give everything he's got to control and undermine everyone's voices. He's quite upset that he didn't get the Hokage position himself."

"Danzou is never happy about the way things are going."

"And his puppets are falling in the same line of thinking." I glared down at my reflection. "Once they have majority of the village under their hands, they have the right to fear me fully. The liars and fakes the lot of them."

Shikaku looked stunned at my words. He didn't move, or I didn't hear him move, the water didn't ripple my reflection and the only sounds were the running water by the rocks.

"Why are you telling me this? Does Minato know?"

I frowned even more. "No, nii-chan is too devoted and is more than willing to try and fix things. It'll be a lost cause to try and talk to him, and you're a truth seeker." I told him. "You don't care for my eccentric behavior as long as my actions are not against Konoha, my goals are coincide with Konoha's for now but the moment its leaders get corrupted, I'm out."

"And I'm your confident in this why?"

I shrugged. "I trust you with it. Out of all the people I know, you'll use the information to its fullest potential. In the end I don't really care what happens, I still have my other plans to fall back on."

Shikaku looked at me strangely. "I think I can see why Minato insists that you're cute. You're really sweet but it's so weird since I know you as a little sociopath."

I blushed immediately and splashed water at him. "Don't say such embarrassing stuff! And what part of our conversation was sweet?"

"You say that you don't but you care for everybody a lot." He started off. "The fact that you're even talking to me about this says a lot about you as the person that detests all human interaction. That in itself makes it sweet and cute of you."

I threw a senbon next. "Stop saying that!"

"And now you're a little sociopath again." He pulled the senbon out of the rock.

I snarled. "Be glad nii-chan likes you or-!" I yelped feeling hands on my hips.

"I finally fucking found you, and I must say, you have such a fuckable bo-"

A kick sent the perverted pig into the rocks but it wasn't enough to keep the blush off my face. "Why is this shit happening to me! This is the worst mission I've been on yet!"

"But I bet I could make it better." I heard the pig's purr near me. "Jashin-sama obviously sent you to me, no other can be more fucking slaughterous and bloodier than me but when I first saw you kill all those Ame-fuckers, I knew that you were my reward for being faithful."

I dug my claws into his reaching arms and let the blood stain the water's surface. "Why won't you die? Why can't you see that I'm not fucking interested? Why won't you fucking die? Why is it so hard to kick you into fear? Why won't you stay in the ground and decompose like a good corpse and die?!"

"I fucking thank Jashin-sama for this gift, you get sexier and sexier every moment." He pulled me into his bare body with surprising strength. "Your resistances must be his way of testing my will."

I punched the pig out of the hot springs and hope it gives me enough time to runaway to the borders. I can't kill the bastard even if I want to test his regeneration limits so the next best thing was to run and hide without having Sandaime after my head.

"Who was that?"

"The perverted pig." I spat out. "I should've listened to nii-chan more seriously, the male population are pigs to be wary of."

"Oh god, the brother complex just expanded even more."

  
  


_-Line Break-_

There was another brat introduced to me.

"Jii-san, he's pretty!" The little black-haired girl reached to me. "I'm Shizune! Nice to meet you!"

"Torito Yuu." I shot a glare at the grinning weirdo. "Likewise."

"I like your hair, Yuu-nii-san!" She chirped happily. "It's pretty!"

A blush dusted my cheeks. "Thanks, you're not too bad yourself."

Shizune beamed. "Jii-san always says that I should be polite, says that even the scariest monsters will be nice!"

"That's right!" Dan picked up his niece "Nii-san over there is the scariest of them all but he's also the nicest! Didn't I tell you?"

The little girl chirped and nodded. "Yeah! He's pretty too!"

Dan recently lost his little sister, the man was devastated that her genin team was all killed off by the remnants of a very dangerous poison trap. He turned all his focus onto his remaining family, Tsunade, and me for some reason. My sympathy was the only reason why I was indulging him at this moment.

I huffed. "Don't fill her head with that unnecessary crap. Your uncle is a weirdo, don't be a weirdo." I looked down at the girl and she giggled.

"Jii-san said that Yuu-nii-san was a grumpy person." Shizune was put down and she ran up to hug my leg. "Yuu-nii-san just needs a hug!"

A blush nicely settled in and I nervously shifted at her innocence. "Nevermind, you already are a weirdo."

Because she was just as adorable as any little sister would be. Shizune was happy, health, and was a bright light that Dan needed after his loss. A bright light that I wish I had to make these memories a little less sad and a little less painful when they come up.

_"I love you big brother!"_

_"It's just like sleeping..."_

_I miss her. I miss her so much._

And I didn't even know her. I don't remember her face, her likes, dislikes, or the little things that made her the most beautiful girl there was. The gaping hole that was left behind by her was torn open by her voice though, her laughter and words were always light and happy.

I am glad that Dan has Shizune. I would never want him to be like me, to have these reminders to always pop up like ghosts. He deserves to be happy, I can't see him not be a weirdo after all.

Sensei would be upset if he wasn't.

  
  


_-Line Break-_

Hope you enjoyed!


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